UNWTO leads congress on ethics

MADRID Ethics in tourism is the theme of a UNWTO conference due to be hosted this week in Krakow Poland.

UNWTO said the 3rd third International Congress on Ethics and Tourism, will discuss ways to advance the commitment of tourism towards sustainable and responsible practices.

The event is one of the major components of the ‘Enhancing the Understanding of European Tourism’ Project, conducted by UNWTO in cooperation with the European Commission.

Social responsibility champions, academics, private sector and representatives from national tourism administrations will meet in Krakow with civil society and international organisations to discuss how advance in the shared responsibilities of tourism development.

There have been high profile cases of graft in tourism, mainly involving government ministers of countries that were members of UNWTO.

A Thai court recently handed down a 50-year prison sentence in a corruption case involving a former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Juthamas Siriwan.

The Congress acquires particular relevance as it takes place during the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, which is being celebrated worldwide throughout 2017.

The event, with the presence of Rajan Datar host of Fast Track – BBC World News’ flagship travel programme, will feature the views of policy makers and companies such as NH Hotel Group, TripAdvisor, ClubMed, TUI, and Amadeus IT Group. National, regional and international organizations like the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), European Destinations of Excellence Network (EDEN), UNESCO World Heritage Centre and VisitScotland will also share their best practices.

Topics under discussion include strategic policy frameworks and models of governance as well as innovative and multi-stakeholder management models for the development of a more responsible and inclusive tourism sector.

Special attention will be devoted to the Tourism for All, the preservation of natural and cultural resources and best practices that contribute to socio-economic empowerment of local communities, women and youth.

The 3rd International Congress on Ethics and Tourism is organised by UNWTO in partnership with the Government of Poland and the European Commission.

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