Tourexpi
The 68th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for Europe (31 May – 2
June, Sofia, Bulgaria), assessed the current state of tourism in the region
while also recognizing the vital importance of education, jobs and investments
for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Bulgaria Leads High-Level Political Support for Tourism
Ahead of the meeting, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met
with President Rumen Radev and the Prime Minister of
Bulgaria Galab Donev, accompanied by Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria Ilin
Dimitrov, to discuss shared priorities and areas of cooperation.
Prime Minister Donev welcomed the latest UNWTO data which shows Bulgaria
is among the fastest recovering of European destinations, with international
arrivals in the first quarter of year 27% higher than in 2019.
In recognition of their leadership, President Radev awarded UNWTO
Secretary-General Pololikashvili and the Director for Europe Alessandra Priante
with the Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius, 1st Class and 2nd Class
respectively, at a special ceremony in the Coat of Arms Hall.
The two parties jointly recognized tourism's importance for driving
economic development and strengthening peace and understanding.
The UNWTO delegation welcomed the Bulgarian Government's work to diversify
its tourism sector, with a focus on growing new areas including wellness,
health and gastronomy tourism and supporting rural communities.
This is exactly the time to step up our efforts to transform our sector,
with a skilled workforce and proper investments vital for making it more
resilient, sustainable and inclusive
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "European
tourism is recovering strongly and on track to return to pre-pandemic levels by
the end of the year. This is exactly the time to step up our efforts to
transform our sector, with a skilled workforce and proper investments vital for
making it more resilient, sustainable and inclusive."
European Members Focus on Key Priorities
High-level delegations representing 40 countries, a historic high
participation, including Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Tourism, gathered
for the Regional Commission. Member States were given an overview of UNWTO's
work, with a focus on:
Jobs: UNWTO continues to support the Institutions of the European
Union in the context of the European Year of Skills, with the co-implementation
phase of the EU Transition Pathway for Tourism now underway to re-skill the
tourism workforce of the European Union.
Education: Members were updated on the creation of a first Bachelor's Degree in Sustainable Tourism
Management, in partnership with the Lucerne University of Applied
Arts and Sciences, and to launch a toolkit designed to help make tourism a
subject in high schools worldwide.
Investments: Identified as a key priority for the sector, UNWTO set
the stage for World Tourism Day 2023 (27 September) with its theme of 'Green
Investments', and also looked ahead to the UNWTO Tourism Investment Forum
(Yerevan, Armenia, September 2023).
Sustainability: UNWTO continues to guide global tourism's climate
action efforts, key works include the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (49
signatories to date, with 17 from European countries), and the Glasgow
Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism (800+ signatories to date, more than
half from Europe).
The UNWTO Regional Director outlined how European Members champion
tourism as a driver of resilience and recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic
and amid the fragile socio-political situation in the region, caused by the
Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Looking Ahead
Adhering to the Organization's statutory obligations, Members agreed:
Ukraine will serve as the Chair of the Commission for Europe for the
period 2023 to 2025. Greece and Hungary will serve as the Vice Chairs.
World Tourism Day 2024, to be held around the theme of "Tourism and
Peace" will be officially hosted by Georgia.
The Commission will meet in Uzbekistan this fall for its 69th meeting
and in Albania in 2024 for its 70th meeting.
On the eve of the meeting, UNWTO launched the Global Startup Competition for Mega Events and MICE
Tourism, with the support of the Government of Uzbekistan and the
participation of UEFA, the International Congress and Convention Association, and
Mastercard. Finally, following an earlier announcement, UNWTO and Aviareps
announced that Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Romania and Uzbekistan will be
the first five countries to benefit from their collaboration.
Image Credit: ©
UNWTO
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