Zurab Pololikashvili travel tips

H.E. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of United Nations (UN) Tourism, (formerly the United Nations World Tourism Organization – UNWTO) will deliver the Keynote Address during the opening ceremony of the second Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference, which will be hosted by Jamaica from February 16-17, 2024.

UN Tourism has joined its Members in celebrating the establishment of 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism. At the Organization’s headquarters in Madrid, the UN Tourism leadership welcomed the Ambassadors to Spain of 24 Member States to look ahead to the seminal year.

At the 50th meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Middle East, leaders focused on investment and innovative tourism to enhance regional resilience and inclusivity.

In an event held under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Tourism, the Saudi Tourism Authority launched the country’s spectacular summer program for 2024, “Saudi Summer is Next Door.” Saudi’s summer program will run for four months until the end of September across seven destinations and includes over 550 exceptional tourism products and more than 150 special offers and packages curated for families and children across different segments like adventure lovers, those looking for luxury retreats and activities, and culture and heritage enthusiasts.

International tourist arrivals almost matched pre-pandemic figures in Q1 2024, reaching 97% with over 285 million travelers, signaling robust recovery across global travel sectors.

“We have a responsibility to make tourism jobs valued and decent jobs and that we make tourism an opportunity for a better future for everyone, women and global youth especially” said Zurab Pololikashvili.

UN Tourism has launched STAR, a digital tool enabling rural destinations to evaluate and enhance their tourism policies. This tool provides local authorities with customized recommendations, facilitating sustainable and inclusive growth in rural tourism sectors.

The leading players of Travel & Tourism globally have published a landmark joint report setting out their joint plan to help halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

UN Tourism has partnered with the European Committee of the Regions for a comprehensive study of the significant impact and potential of tourism in fostering socio-economic development in rural areas.

On April 22 in London, some of the top players in travel collaborated to publish a joint report on how to help combat and reverse biodiversity loss.

Europe’s national tourism authorities have met to advance shared solutions to the biggest challenges facing tourism as well as the opportunities offered by the sector’s post-pandemic return.

Prominent political and tourism industry figures are to attend the official opening ceremony of the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show on 4 March. A spectacular show programme featuring classical works and folk music by the Official Host Country Oman awaits the audience at the opening of ITB Berlin 2024.

According to the first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year, international tourism ended 2023 at 88% of pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 1.3 billion international arrivals. The unleashing of remaining pent-up demand, increased air connectivity, and a stronger recovery of Asian markets and destinations, are expected to underpin a full recovery by the end of 2024.

UN Tourism has opened applications for the 2024 edition of its Best Tourism Villages initiative. Over the past three editions, UN Tourism – the new name of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) - received almost 600 applications from nearly 100 countries.

South America’s largest country is keen to attract visitors from the UK, with an approach potentially including Fam and Press Trips, Strategic Partnerships and Creative Activations. Brazil’s ambitious start to the new year follows hot on the heels of a successful end to 2023, which saw the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) open its first office in Latin America in Rio de Janeiro. The office was inaugurated by Zurab Pololikashvili, the Executive Secretary of UNWTO at an opening ceremony taking place last 14th December, which was attended by the President of Brazil Luis Inacio da Silva - more commonly known as Lula - and the country’s Minister of Tourism, Celso Sabino.

Tourism leaders from around the world will join together in Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh, for 2023’s United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Day on September 27 and 28. Global tourism ministers and others in the industry will participate in events to connect and collaborate. The location of this year’s event shows how far tourism has come in the few short years since Saudi Arabia opened to tourists in 2019.

Germany and the United States spent 13% and 11% more respectively on outbound travel than in the same nine months of 2019, while Italy spent 16% more through August.

Tourism’s transformation to low-carbon operations is our compass, let’s make Net Zero our destination by 2050 – a journey for prosperity and a healthy Earth

Searching for the best places to visit that promote cultural diversity and sustainable travel? The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recently released its third annual list of the Best Tourism Villages for 2023, a compilation of authentic, lesser-known places to travel. Consider this your new travel bucket list.

Saudi Arabia has become a “must-see destination”, Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, said in Riyadh during the opening ceremony of World Tourism Day this weekend. “This is a country that always looks forward, and in big ways,” he continued. “Saudi Arabia is now the second-biggest place for foreign direct investment projects in all the Middle East and Africa. I’m proud to say we count on the support of Saudi Arabia.”

UNWTO has launched a new global initiative designed to unite and encourage nations, tourism sector leaders and consumers to be more open-minded when choosing a travel destination.