Britain joins UN tourism agency in ‘historic turning point’ for cooperation

The United Kingdom plans to join the World Tourism Organization (WTO) in what the United Nations specialized agency has called “a historic turning point” for the future development of international tourism cooperation.

“We shall extend our most heartfelt welcome to the United Kingdom in the WTO family and put in place a mechanism so that the UK plays an adequate role in world tourism and in global economy,” the Madrid-based agency’s Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli said of the British decision, announced on Wednesday by UK Tourism Minister Richard Caborn.

Mr. Frangialli called the decision “a historic turning point, which demonstrates the value of the Organization for the tourism sector as a whole.”

The WTO, comprising 145 Member States, seven territories and over 300 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, destinations and education, serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and practical source of tourism know-how, playing a decisive role in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

It plays a major role in stimulating public-private sector partnerships and in encouraging the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to ensure that member countries, tourist destinations and businesses maximize the positive economic, social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimizing its negative social and environmental impacts.

Among reasons cited by Mr. Caborn for the UK’s accession were the membership of China and Russia, two of Britain’s biggest new markets, and last December’s devastating Indian Ocean tsunami which demonstrated the value of international co-operation in re-building vital tourism infrastructures.