UNWTO Activities at FITUR to Focus on Innovation and Sustainability

The opportunities that innovation opens up for tourism and the importance of promoting initiatives in the field of sustainability and ethics will constitute the main topics of the activities to be organized by the UNWTO at FITUR 2016.

The 36th edition of FITUR will be held from 20 to 24 January in Madrid.

Social responsibility and sustainability will be given special attention in UNWTO’s programme at FITUR, with the 2nd International Conference on ‘Nearly Zero Energy Hotels’, the UNWTO/ONCE Foundation Seminar on Accessible Tourism and the presentation of the UNWTO/Global Compact Spain project ‘Responsible Tourism: A Commitment by All’.

The initiative aims to promote social responsibility among companies and business associations in the tourism sector as well as to foster their real and lasting commitment to the ethical principles that underpin responsible and sustainable tourism.

Africa and the Middle East

Business and investment opportunities in Africa will be the focus of the VII Tourism Investment and Business Forum for Africa - INVESTOUR, an initiative of UNWTO, FITUR and Casa África, which will be held on the second day of the fair (21 January).

The event will count on the participation of various African tourism ministers as well as of representatives of the Spanish Government. The private sector will also participate in the initiative, which includes two round tables and a B2B session. The first round table will address the challenges of investing in Africa, while the second will discuss strategies for increasing the competitiveness and tapping into the potential of tourism in Africa both the regional and global levels.

The Middle East will also receive a special attention within UNWTO’s activities at FITUR. A Ministerial Round Table on Tourism Development Policies and Strategies in the Middle East and North Africa (21 January), to be held in conjunction with Casa Árabe, will discuss strategies for promoting sustainable growth in times of crisis.