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UNWTO
General Assembly opens in Victoria Falls
UNWTO General Assembly
August 26, 2013
View this article
on the UNWTO General Assembly website
The global tourism
community gathers this week at Victoria Falls for the 20th Session
of the UNWTO General Assembly. Visa facilitation, connectivity and
accessibility will be key topics at this Assembly, aiming to advance
tourism’s sustainable growth (Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe,
24 – 29 August 2013).
Key issues such
as visa facilitation, connectivity and accessibility will be in
the agenda of the over 120 delegations from UNWTO Members States
gathering this week at Victoria Falls. The 20th Session of the UNWTO
General Assembly will also debate the Organization’s Programme
of Work for 2014-2015 and elect the Secretary General for the next
four years’ period.
UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon greeted the participants in a video message. “Tourism
is an undisputed generator of national wealth, corporate income
and local employment. Managed sustainably, it can benefit people
and planet alike,” he said addressing the Assembly. “As
we work to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and define a
post-2015 development agenda, I call on all UNWTO Members and the
global tourism community to examine how best to contribute to sustainable
development.”
“This
Assembly is a timely opportunity for all of us to continue along
an encouraging path to drive tourism towards its fullest potential
in fostering sustainable economic growth, jobs and development and
what better backdrop to do so than here in Africa, a region where
we believe tourism can be a true force for good”, said UNWTO
Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.
The General
Assembly is the main statutory meeting of UNWTO and the most important
gathering of senior tourism officials and high-level representatives
from around the world. Held every two years, the Assembly is attended
by delegations representing Full and Associate UNWTO Members, Affiliate
Members, and representatives of other international organizations.
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