Press releases


11 May 2012 Chiang Mai Thailand	Thailand reiterates strong commitment to sustainable tourism development Thailand’s Prime Minster, Yingluck Shinawatra, has become the latest head of state to join the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign, a joint UNWTO / World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) initiative aimed at rallying support for tourism among world leaders (Bangkok, Thailand, 2 May 2012).
11 May 2012 Nay Pyi Taw Myanmar	Myanmar set to rejoin UNWTO The President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, U Thein Sein, has announced the country will initiate the process of restoring its membership of UNWTO. The decision was confirmed during an official visit of UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. On the occasion, highlighting the role of tourism in the future of Myanmar, President Sein joined the UNWTO/WTTC Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign (Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, 7 May 2012).
10 May 2012 Madrid Spain	International tourism off to a strong start in 2012 International tourist arrivals worldwide grew by 5.7% in the first two months of 2012. Demand remained strong in both advanced and emerging economy destinations, despite economic constraints in many of the source markets of Europe and North America.
7 May 2012 Madrid Spain	International tourism receipts surpass US$ 1 trillion in 2011 In 2011, international tourism receipts exceeded US$ 1 trillion for the first time, up from US$ 928 billion in 2010. In real terms, receipts grew by 3.8%, following a 4.6% increase in international tourist arrivals. An additional US$ 196 billion in receipts from international passenger transport brought total exports generated by international tourism in 2011 to US$ 1.2 trillion.
30 April 2012 Marsa Alam Egypt	Tourism and the media join forces to support the sector in challenging times Leading media representatives met with tourism players in Egypt to explore how to develop more effective relations, particularly in times of crisis (Marsa Alam, Egypt, 26-27 April 2012).
30 April 2012 Dubai United Arab Emirates	Tourism Leaders of the Middle East reiterate confidence in the sector Ministers of Tourism and leading tourism companies from the Middle East and North Africa reiterated their confidence in the growth of tourism in the region during the first UNWTO/Arabian Travel Market Industry Forum (Dubai, 30 April 2012).
24 April 2012 Doha Qatar	Tourism can stimulate trade and development, agrees UN Conference Participants at a major United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIII) have underscored the role of tourism as a vital service sector, contributing to GDP and employment in developed and developing countries alike (Doha, Qatar, 21-26 April 2012).
24 April 2012 Vienna Austria	We must act together to fight exploitation and human trafficking in tourism, say UN and international partners 24 April 2012 (Vienna) - Taking a firm stand against human trafficking, especially child trafficking, in the tourism sector, the heads of two United Nations bodies today pledged to stamp out this hidden scourge through joint efforts. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), also called for concerted global action at every level of society.
23 April 2012 Madrid Spain	Mediterranean states agree to further tourism cooperation at UNWTO conference Mediterranean states meeting at a UNWTO Conference on The Future of Mediterranean Tourism have agreed to boost cooperation to maintain the region’s position as the world’s leading tourism destination (Djerba, Tunisia, 16-17 April 2012).
20 April 2012 Hanoi Vietnam	Tourism plays major role in Vietnam’s socio-economic development says Vice-President Highlighting tourism’s contribution to Vietnam’s development, Vice-President, Nguyen Thi Doan, joined the UNWTO/World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign (Hanoi, Vietnam, 20 April 2012).