United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Global Tourism Economic Forum (GTEF) have announced their intentions to strengthen their collaboration in a joint effort to promote closer ties between governments and the tourism industry’s private sector. The two organizations plan to revamp and enhance their annual Forum, with this year’s event set to take place on September 21st in Macau, China, marking the 10th anniversary of the Forum. Subsequent events will alternate locations between Macau and a different host country, which will be chosen collaboratively by UNWTO and GTEF.
The announcement was made in Lisbon by UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, who expressed pride in the partnership with GTEF and the joint effort to address the challenges and opportunities in the tourism sector. Pansy Ho, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of GTEF, emphasized the event’s alignment with China’s policies supporting enterprises in their global expansion and the benefits it would bring to mainland China, Macau, and the rest of the world.
This year’s 10th edition of the GTEF will focus on the theme “Destination 2030: Unlocking Tourism for Business and Development,” bringing together governments, public and private sector leaders to establish the Forum as the premier annual event for public-private partnerships in the field of tourism, with the goal of fostering business growth and development. The event will feature discussions on the future of the industry and ways to unlock its potential for economic and social benefits.
During the Lisbon announcement, UNWTO also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC), the coordinator of GTEF, to identify areas of future cooperation. Notable attendees at the announcement included Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of Macao SAR; Zhao Bentang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Portuguese Republic; and Nuno Fazenda, Secretary of State for Tourism, Trade, and Services in Portugal.