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World Tourism Organization
Chapter · January 2016
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-01384-8_413
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World Tourism Organization UNWTO originated as the International Union
of Official Travel Organizations, which was
Noel Healy1 and Sandra Carvao2 renamed the World Tourism Organization during
1
Department of Geography, Salem State its first General Assembly held in Madrid in
University, Salem, USA 1975. In 2003 this intergovernmental organiza-
2
UNWTO, Madrid, Spain tion became a specialized agency of the United
Nations; in 2005 UNWTO was officially adopted
as the organization’s abbreviation.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is UNWTO comprises five major bodies, which
the United Nations’ specialized agency, respon- govern its financial and administrative activities:
sible for the promotion of sustainable, responsi- the General Assembly, the Executive Council,
ble, and universally accessible tourism. As the the Regional Commissions, the Committees,
leading international and the only intergovern- and the Secretariat. The General Assembly
mental organization in this field, UNWTO meets every 2 years to approve budgets and pro-
promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, grams and to debate on topics of vital importance
inclusive ▶ development, and environmental to tourism. The Executive Council is its
sustainability. It supports the advancement of governing board, responsible for ensuring that
tourism practice, policy, and ▶ knowledge this body carries out its ▶ work and adheres to
worldwide by generating market knowledge, pro- its budget. It meets at least twice a year and is
moting competitive and ▶ sustainable tourism composed of members elected by the General
policies and instruments, and fostering tourism Assembly. It has six Regional Commissions
▶ education and ▶ training for its members. It (▶ Africa, the ▶ Americas, East ▶ Asia and the
also provides the world’s most comprehensive Pacific, ▶ Europe, the ▶ Middle East, and South
collection of tourism-related ▶ statistics, includ- Asia), which meet at least once a year (UNWTO
ing the regularly issued UNWTO World Tourism 2012). Its Specialized Committees advise on
Barometer, aimed at monitoring the short-term ▶ management and program content. These
evolution of ▶ international tourism flows include the Program and Budget Committee, the
(UNWTO n.d.). Its membership includes World Committee on Tourism Ethics, the Com-
156 countries, 6 territories, 2 permanent mittee on Market and Competitiveness, Commit-
observers, and over 400 affiliate members, the tee on Statistics and Tourism Satellite Account,
latter representing the private sector, educational the Sustainable Development of Tourism Com-
institutions, trade associations, and local tourism mittee, and the Committee for the Review of
authorities. Applications for Affiliate Membership. The
# Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015
J. Jafari, H. Xiao (eds.), Encyclopedia of Tourism,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_413-1
2 World Tourism Organization
Secretariat is led by the Secretary-General and See also ▶ Collaboration and partnership,
is responsible for implementing UNWTO’s ▶ organizations and associations, ▶ policy,
program of work and serving the needs of its ▶ statistics, ▶ sustainable tourism.
members.
UNWTO works in six main areas: Competi-
tiveness, ▶ sustainability, poverty reduction, References
capacity building, partnerships, and
mainstreaming. The Organization aims to maxi- UNWTO 2014 Tourism and the Millennium Development
Goals <www.unwto.org> (3 April).
mize the positive economic, social, and cultural
UNWTO 2012 Statutes of the World Tourism Organiza-
effects of tourism, while minimizing its negative tion. Madrid: World Tourism Organization.
impacts. It encourages the implementation of the UNWTO (n.d.) UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (UNWTO n.d.) <http://mkt.unwto.org/barometer> (3 April 2014).
UNWTO (n.d.) Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
and is committed to promoting tourism as an
<http://ethics.unwto.org/en/content/global-code-ethics-
instrument in achieving the United Nations tourism> (3 April 2014).
Millennium Development Goals (UNWTO 2014).
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