Building Recovery in Thailand – UNWTO and PATA Join Forces to Support Tourism in Thailand Bangkok, Thailand, 2 July 2010 The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) have conveyed their strong support of Thailand and its tourism industry as the country returns to normalcy following political unrest earlier in the year. Attending a Special Meeting on International Solidarity with Thai Tourism, both parties commended the recovery measures undertaken by the Thai Government and the collaboration of the Thai private sector to support tourism in the country and expressed the unwavering solidarity of the international tourism community.

Tourism’s Value Recognized with the Newly Created Argentinean Ministry of Tourism Madrid, Spain, 1 July 2010 UNWTO welcomes that several countries have recently placed tourism higher on their national political and economic agendas. Argentina is the most recent example with the establishment of the first Argentinean Ministry of Tourism. The move represents a further step towards mainstreaming tourism as an industry that delivers on economic growth, job creation and sustainable development.

International Tourism: Recovery Confirmed, but Growth Remains Uneven Madrid, Spain, 29 June 2010 International tourist arrivals grew by 7% in the first four months of 2010 according to the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. This growth confirms the recovery trend beginning in the last quarter of 2009 and comes despite the challenging conditions of recent months. While April’s results were affected by the week-long closure of European airspace, globally the pace of recovery is faster than initially expected, driven largely by emerging markets. For the full year 2010, UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to grow by 3% to 4%.

The Framework for a Stronger UNWTO Focus of Debate at the Executive Council Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, 9 June 2010 Since the last meeting of the UNWTO Executive Council, in October 2009, global economic prospects have improved steadily, with tourism demand also regaining momentum. Held directly following the UNWTO Commission for the Americas, the 88th Session of the Executive Council was an opportunity for UNWTO Members to reflect on the future challenges facing the tourism industry and how the Organization can more effectively address them (Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, 6-8 June 2010).

President of Uruguay Highlights Tourism’s Role in Economic Growth and Development in a Meeting with UNWTO Secretary-General Madrid, Spain, 8 June 2010 The President of Uruguay, H.E. José Mujica, has highlighted the enormous potential of the tourism sector to stimulate growth and development. Meeting during an official visit to the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo, the UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai stressed that Uruguay is a leading example in the sector.

UNWTO: Supporting Tourism Recovery in Thailand as the Situation Stabilizes in Bangkok Madrid, Spain, 26 May 2010 UNWTO welcomes the return to stability in Thailand, as reflected in a recent Statement of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand announcing that “political unrest has been brought under control and order in the capital of Bangkok and the provinces of Thailand has been restored”. UNWTO is supporting and working closely with the Thai Government in the process of recovering the country’s tourism industry and will join the integrated efforts of national agencies and the private sector to continue making Thailand one of the major tourism destinations worldwide. 

UNWTO: Mayors Forum Goes Further Down the Silk Road Shiraz, Iran, 24 May 2010 Hosted by the Municipality of Shiraz and the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, the 5th Silk Road Mayors Forum closed on 20th May with agreement on the Shiraz Declaration.

World Tourism Day 2010 to Celebrate 'Tourism and Biodiversity' Madrid, Spain, 21 May 2010 As the world comes together to celebrate 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, UNWTO is happy to announce that the World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations, hosted officially this year by China, will take place under the theme Tourism and Biodiversity (27 September, Guangdong Province). The theme provides a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of biodiversity to tourism and the role of sustainable tourism in the conservation of life on Earth.

UNWTO Calls for Industry Solidarity with Greece Madrid, Spain, 21 May 2010 UNWTO has called for the industry to show its solidarity with Greece at this difficult moment, underlying that tourism is a key sector for the Hellenic country and can be part of the solution in the process of economic recovery.

“Tourism is a Key Component for Sustainable Development” - President of the Dominican Republic visits UNWTO Madrid, Spain, 19 May 2010 The President of the Dominican Republic, H.E. Leonel Fernández, visited the UNWTO Headquarters where he expressed his firm belief in the social and economic contribution of tourism to sustainable development. This is the first visit of a President of the Dominican Republic to the Organization.