UNWTO activities during ITB Berlin

During ITB 2007, the UNWTO will hold seven major events and participate in major other meetings and activities. Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli will be a key speaker at the inauguration of this major international travel and tourism gathering on 6 March.

UNWTO activities will build around the promotion of its Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, which serves as the template for the organizations projects and programmes.

The events sponsored by the organization reflect the pillars of its activities. These range from fostering the sustainable development of Tourism and its positive effect on poverty alleviation to underscoring the importance of responsible tourism including both travelers and operators, as well as destinations.

Avian Flu Brief: As the lead UN agency for the tourism sector, the UNWTO will hold its second brief at ITB on avian flu to report the state of the developments in relation to potential human risks and preparations being taken by UNWTO, and across the industry.

Sustainable tourism: The promotion of tourism as a catalyst for the benefit of poor layers of population in the destination countries is at the centre of the ST-EP project (Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty). Launched by UNWTO in September 2002, the first ST-EP Forum at ITB was held in March 2003.

This year the V ST-EP Forum will present the actions being undertaken under the umbrella of UNWTO and other institutions and private stakeholders. The Forum also aims to engage more institutions, companies and people in the fight against poverty through sustainable tourism.

Ethics and tourism: The 20th Meeting of the Task Force for the Protection of children from sexual exploitation in tourism will feature both a thematic session on Child Exploitation Through Trafficking and Relationship with the Travel Industry and a reporting session on actions taken to protect children from sexual exploitation in tourism.

The meeting is open to national tourism administrations, international organizations, tourism industry, NGO and media representatives who wish to exchange information and experiences on ways to prevent Sexual Exploitation of Children in Tourism, learn about current programmes and actions related to child protection through tourism.

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