Affiliate Members Programme 2018 Action Plan
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Affiliate Members Programme 2018 Action Plan
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Contents The UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme Introduction to the 2018 Action Plan 1. Exchange of Expertise and Knowledge Generation 2. Knowledge Dissemination 3. Talent Development 4. 2018 Calendar of Events Copyright - 5
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The UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme Since its creation in 1945, the United Nations (UN) relationship with the private sector has progressively expanded, until being recognized today as an essential element for the achievement of United Nations goals and in particular of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Though the private and public sectors often have differing motivations and interests, they also share many common objectives which, in today s globalized world, can be more effectively tackled through joint collaboration and the establishment of partnerships. Like other United Nations agencies, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the specialized United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of tourism, has long considered the private sector to be an integral partner in fulfilling its general mandate of promoting sustainable development in tourism. Throughout 2017, UNWTO and its Affiliate Members worked tirelessly to promote and achieve the SDGs, as well as advance the goals set up for the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, designated by the United Nations on the occasion of the 70th General Assembly. UNWTO and its Affiliate Members will continue to work actively and with dedication to achieve these goals and promote sustainable tourism practices throughout 2018 and beyond. The UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme serves as the major gateway for alliances and collaboration between the private and public sectors in tourism. Bringing together over 500 companies, educational and research institutions, destinations and NGOs, this interactive platform provides a space for members to engage in dialogues, share information and take further action. Its principal mission is to foster relationships among Affiliate Members and Member States and promote the mission of UNWTO and exchange of knowledge among experts. Most importantly, the Affiliate Members Programme works towards aligning private sector strategies with the UN Goals and offers its Affiliate Members the opportunity to engage in tourism development. Copyright - 7
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Introduction to the 2018 Action Plan Partnerships need to take a variety of approaches to correctly tackle the individual necessities of every Affiliate Member and enhance their unique value. Mindful of this, the Affiliate Members Programme has developed a variety of tools and structured its basic framework according to the four following fundamental goals: 1. Exchange of expertise 2. Knowledge generation 3. Knowledge dissemination 4. Talent development A specific action to be implemented by UNWTO and its Affiliate Members corresponds to each of these goals. To address the goal of the exchange of expertise, by means of grouping members together by areas of interest and designing specific activities within the Action Plan, the Affiliate Members Programme has launched UNWTO Networks. UNWTO Networks serve as a venue for active collaboration among UNWTO Members stakeholders from NGOs, government and academia - to address pressing tourism-related issues of common interest. Its main objective is to enhance the value of partnerships by facilitating the engagement of all actors, the exchange of knowledge and the development of innovative projects. Thus far, there are four established UNWTO Networks: Gastronomy Network, City Tourism Network, Knowledge Network and Shopping Tourism Network. Additionally, UNWTO also works on promoting Working Groups, for those Affiliate Members who wish to exchange expertise with others in segments of tourism in which they have mutual interest. Working Groups serve as a crucial starting point for knowledge exchange and generation, from which further initiatives can be developed. This initiative was proposed on the occasion of the 38th Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members held in Yerevan, Armenia on 3-4 October 2016. Following this request, working groups have been established on the following topics: Accessible Tourism (at the request of Red Estable); Technology and Tourism (at the request of Google and Kyoto University); Youth Travel (at the request of WYSE); Scientific Tourism (at the request of Fundación Starlight); Destinations at stake (at the request of BTW); Quality in Tourism (at the request of ICTE) and Meetings Industry (at the request of IMEX and ICCA). To address the goal of knowledge generation, The Affiliate Members Programme has developed a prototype methodology to establish a formal framework where the public and private sectors can collaborate on the development of innovative tourism products that enhance tourism competitiveness. This professional framework establishes the guidelines for the development of innovative tourism projects that will benefit destinations, companies Copyright - 9
and institutions. Its goals are to find solutions to address common challenges in the field of tourism and the development of new tourism products. The designed roadmap is based on initial research and analysis and incorporates the possibility of governance models, product development, marketing, training, corporate social responsibility, technology solutions and the development of human capital. Furthermore, UNWTO publishes global reports in which Member States, Affiliate Members, expert consultants, market research institutes and leading global travel networks actively participate to provide wide-ranging and current data and trends. Knowledge generation is also a direct result of the development of Prototypes. Knowledge is effectively disseminated through the range of UNWTO conferences and seminars, held throughout the year. At these events, experts, stakeholders and opinion leaders give presentations on their areas of expertise and participants are encouraged to actively participate to ensure representative, wide-ranging and thought-provoking content. UNWTO Global Reports are presented, technical visits to showcase the host region offered, and interactive workshops given. Moreover, the conclusions of these events are available to the public online. Talent development, capacity building and education are crucial components of the Affiliate Members Programme. Initiatives include training, internship and scholarship programmes, as well as the development of knowledge management platforms and networks, in which the most up-to-date tools for fostering skilled workforce in specific industries of tourism can be exchanged and developed. Against this backdrop, the main objective of this document is to define public-private models of collaboration that could be applied in practice. Various tools will be used to reach this objective, such as the building of networks around common interests, prototypes, reports, joint projects with other programmes and UNWTO technical seminars. By doing so, the Programme will also obtain and encourage exchange of experiences, best practices, technical knowledge and innovative processes, as these are the main expectations concerning their affiliation as indicated in the White Paper. Affiliate Members initiatives following the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. It represented a momentous occasion for UNWTO and the Affiliate Members Programme to raise awareness on the contribution of sustainable tourism to development, whilst also mobilizing all stakeholders, from both the public and private sectors, to cooperate in making tourism a catalyst for positive change. As part of UNWTO, the Affiliate Members Programme is at the forefront of sustainable development in tourism, and the work carried out thus far will carry on long after the end of 2017. Therefore, the UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme continues to work tirelessly 10
towards aligning private sector strategies with the UN Goals and offer its Affiliate Members the opportunity to engage in sustainable tourism development. In this respect, the Affiliate Members Programme will include Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) aspect in every prototype initiative starting with the Wine Tourism Prototype in Mendoza. The UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism will also underline this theme along with the adoption of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a way to support a shift in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to the SDGs. Copyright - 11
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Exchange of Expertise and Knowledge Generation 1.1 Networks UNWTO Gastronomy Network UNWTO Gastronomy Network provides the ideal space for experts, destination management organizations, academics, private sector stakeholders and governmental entities to work together to advance knowledge in gastronomy tourism. Participants benefit from an unparalleled platform to create, disseminate and implement resources that will play a prominent role in harnessing the enormous potential of gastronomy to mobilize a variety of sectors and resources. The UNWTO Gastronomy Network was officially launched in September 2015 during the UNWTO General Assembly held in Medellin, Colombia. Objectives of UNWTO Gastronomy Network Encourage collaboration between UNWTO and other representative organizations in the field of gastronomy. Promote training programmes and research on tourism and gastronomy in collaboration with other institutions. Stimulate the awareness of new trends in order to improve the development and management of Gastronomy Tourism, and disseminate experiences of successful initiatives worldwide. Establish networking opportunities among UNWTO Members in order to address their needs and pinpoint problems to correctly develop Gastronomy Tourism. To foster the concept of innovation in Gastronomy Tourism so as to lay the foundations for sustainable development. Draw valid conclusions for the participants to make proposals for the future. The Joyful Journey - A UNWTO Wine Tourism Network was officially launched in May 2017, during the 105th Executive Council in Madrid, Spain. The Network is open to all UNWTO Members (Member States, Associate Members and Affiliate Members) that have led the development of a UNWTO prototype on wine tourism. The participants so far are: Spain - The prototype currently carried out in Spain, in collaboration with the Forum of Leading Brands of Spanish and five of its wineries (Barbadillo, Felix Solis, Freixenet, Gonzalez Byass, and Osborne). It has the support of the Secretary of State for Tourism of Spain. Copyright - 13
Argentina At the request of the Ministry and carried out by the tourism board of Mendoza with the main wineries. The prototype is currently open to the development of the initiative in other destinations. UNWTO Gastronomy Network Action Plan for 2018 1. Organization of the 4th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, in Thailand (May 2018). This forum will provide an opportunity for leading experts in the field of gastronomy tourism to discuss the current situation and challenges in gastronomy tourism worldwide. 2. Organization of the 7th Meeting of the Gastronomy Network will take place within the framework of the 4th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in Thailand (May 2018). Aiming to further strengthen collaboration between UNWTO and other representative organizations in the field of gastronomy, establish new networking opportunities and discuss developments since the last meeting. 3. Inclusion of Gastronomy Tourism as a topic in the Talent Development Platform of the UNWTO Knowledge Network 4. Replication of the The Joyful Journey A UNWTO Wine Tourism Network in other destinations 5. 3rd UNWTO Wine Tourism Conference in Moldova 6. JTTA, Gurunavi Inc. and UNWTO joint research report on Gastronomy tourism in Japan: Aimed to be created in 2017-2018, the research will mainly focus on finding the best practices which contribute to revitalization of the local communities in Japan though Gastronomy Tourism. These best practices will help to combat future challenges such as dangers to the agriculture and fishery sectors and population decrease. 7. Gastronomy Tourism Prototype, Ubud, Indonesia: Further to the request from the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, this prototype initiative will be carried out in 2018. The purpose of the prototype is the design an enhancement of specialized products and services around gastronomy tourism to be carried out in Ubud (Bali) that will attract visitors year-round, by also including other niche tourism market i.e. Senior Segment and Family Segment. These products are linked to the unique elements of the destination. The project meets a model of public-private partnership which involves Affiliate Members, relevant stakeholders and various levels of government. 8. Olive Oil Prototype: Following the experience gathered from Wine Tourism Prototype, this initiative has been proposed from the member of Gastronomy Network. The Olive Oil Prototype will be opened for any interested party who wishes to participate in the development of this Prototype in their destinations. 14
City Tourism Network The UNWTO City Tourism Network proposes to serve as the platform for knowledge transfer, development and implementation of innovative initiatives and prototypes, benchmarking and monitoring of city projects with the main purpose of forming transferable and adaptable methods and models which can benefit other cities across the globe. Members of the UNWTO City Tourism Network will benefit from being part of an incomparable cluster of stakeholders from the public and private sectors on regional and national levels to lobby for policies set to stimulate and encourage City Tourism. The Network also proposes to stimulate the economy while maintaining a positive living space for both locals and tourists alike, raising the bar for City Tourism and the tourism sector in whole. The UNWTO City Tourism Network was officially launched in December 2016 during the 5th UNWTO Global Summit on City Tourism in Luxor, Egypt. Objetives of UNWTO City Tourism Network To give cities a platform to promote their offerings in a world where tourists have a greater cognitive association to cities than individual countries. To establish a framework for the creation, transfer and application of urban development models within cities To connect with interest groups and form part of a network to create innovative strategies for product and experience development within cities. To encourage the mutual benefits of tourism and urban development at of big and emerging cities around the world. To be a network for members to collaborate on matters of policy formation, multicity branding initiatives, multi-modal transportation initiatives and other public-private partnerships which enhance the offerings of City Tourism. To promote innovation and encourage ICT and Smart Tourism initiatives such as virtual tourist guide applications augmented reality applications, Wi-Fi ready cities to create an accessible city environment for visitors. To encourage the involvement of meetings industry stakeholders among the city tourism network and position this segment as a key driver of economic growth, regional cooperation and intellectual development for cities. City Tourism Network Action Plan for 2018 1. Launch of the UNWTO / ECM City Tourism Measurement for Global Benchmarking Project. This project aims at facilitating the benchmarking, measurement and comparing of city tourism among different cities internationally to improve the competitiveness and the performance of cities worldwide. All participating cities will benefit from the inclusion in an international benchmarking system, gaining access to a city tourism measurement tool which will provide them guidance on how to further develop city tourism and promote the exchange of expertise between cities. An annual publication will compile the findings and corresponding recommendations of the benchmarking system. Copyright - 15
2. 7th Global Summit on City Tourism (venue tbc): This summit provides a platform for sharing current trends regarding urban and tourism development within cities worldwide among tourism stakeholders and other indirect beneficiaries of City Tourism. 3. Launch of Pilot Project Peer-to-Peer Initiative: Malaga-Amman: This initiative aims to foster the exchange between cities and advance the development of city tourism. The cooperation between the city of Amman and the city of Malaga will result in an exchange of expertise on cultural tourism and will serve as a pioneering reference for future projects of collaboration between cities. This Project is also open to other destinations that wish to collaborate in this initiative. 4. 2nd Round Table on Sustainable Urban Tourism in San Sebastian, Spain: The Round Table gathers high-level representatives from DMOs and private companies as well as government officials to discuss the importance of, and how to achieve, sustainable urban tourism underlining this theme along with the adoption of universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 5. UN-Habitat Joint Initiative Resilience Tourism Prototype: a. Resilience Action Plan b. Resilient Tourism Products and Services 6. Inclusion of the meetings industry as a topic in the Action Plan of the City Tourism Network 7. UNWTO and GlobalDit Global Report on Inclusive Tourism: inclusive tourism is a tourism practice that allows for equal opportunities for all people to develop the actions that make up the tourism activity in a safe, comfortable and autonomous way. Inclusive tourism is a driver towards inclusive and sustainable economic growth, social inclusion, employment and poverty reduction. This joint report will explore ways in which to create an inclusive destination, showcase case studies from around the world and look at how policy and public-private partnerships (PPPs) can further inclusive tourism. 8. UNWTO, IMF and NYU Global Report on Creative Tourism (tbc) 9. Madrid Precious Time Prototype: As part of this Network, the Affiliate Members Programme has developed Precious Time: A City Tourism Prototype. Madrid Precious Time was born back in 2012, when 22 cities came together in Istanbul to identify the challenges facing city tourism today. The project gathers public and private sector partners from diverse areas such as technology, hospitality, arts and culture, handicrafts, retail, design and insurance, working together to create new and innovative products that would help position Madrid as a Premium destination. This project represents a practical learning exercise and produces a model that can be replicated in other cities and continuously improved in terms of implementation and innovation; a model that creates higher added value for cities tourists and greater and more sustainable benefits for local communities. This prototype aims to serve as a template for collaborative approaches for the development of new tourism products in city destinations. The 16
UNWTO Madrid Precious Time prototype was launched at ITB 2014 showcasing how the public and private sector from areas including hospitality, technology, handicrafts, retail and insurance can work together to create new and innovative tourism products. This pilot project counts on the collaboration of the Madrid City Council and the support of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism of Spain. UNWTO Knowledge Network The UNWTO Knowledge Network offers a unique platform to stimulate public-private and academic partnerships in creation, dissemination and application of knowledge in tourism, focusing specifically on innovation. In this context, the Knowledge Network is made up of a pool of Affiliate Members with proven record of research activities fostering the actions of UNWTO and its Members on sound knowledge and provides solution-based research for Member States, Affiliate Members and UNWTO operational programmes. Objectives of UNWTO Knowledge Network Leading a community where researchers, policy makers and practitioners come together to create, share, disseminate and apply knowledge. Supporting UNWTO and its Members by providing solid and sound research and analysis. Attracting targeted research and educational organizations to join the Affiliate Members and participate in the Knowledge Network activities. Facilitating public private partnerships with the participation of academia within the UNWTO Members. Providing platforms for the exchange of knowledge and best practices among national, regional and international organizations. Knowledge Network Action Plan for 2018 1. Research and Publication (tbc) 2. Events and Meetings 3 rd UNWTO Conference on Talent Development (dates and venue TBD). Following the first edition and second editions of the UNWTO Global Conference on Talent Development and Education in Tourism held in Bilbao, Spain, in 2015 and in Marbella, Spain, in 2017 respectively, the third UNWTO Conference on Talent Development will continue to discuss the decisive role of talent development in tourism. Possible Knowledge Network Regional Meetings and Conferences at the request of the Member States and the Affiliate Members 3. UNWTO Academic Journal UNWTO Academic Journal is a periodical publication which serves as a transparent forum for the presentation and discussion of research papers in the field of tourism. Content takes the form of articles presenting original research or review articles. The Copyright - 17
purpose of UNWTO Academic Journal is to give members of Knowledge Network a venue to share their knowledge on a specific topic in the field of tourism, which will benefit at the same time all Affiliate Members. UNWTO Ulysses Laureates will be invited to submit contributions in their field of expertise. 4. Professional Exchange Programme This programme brings both professionals and students in the field of tourism from Affiliate Member entities to UNWTO for intensive fellowships designed to broaden their professional expertise and to promote the exchange of opinions and knowledge. Participants spend approximately two to four weeks at UNWTO, during which they receive hands-on exposure to our programme of work, gaining at the same time the opportunity to engage with UNWTO staff. Fellowships provide participants the opportunity to examine the relationship between UNWTO and its Members. The programme takes place twice per year, in the spring (May/June) and in the fall (October/November). UNWTO Shopping Tourism Network The UNWTO Shopping Tourism Network is a forum for reflection in which participants can interact, share and access relevant information. They can also benefit from a platform to generate, disseminate and apply specific knowledge to tap the huge potential of shopping tourism whereby repositioning tourism destinations, both urban and overall. It is made up of Member States and Affiliate Members. The UNWTO Shopping Tourism Network was officially launched in September 2015 during the General Assembly held in Medellin, Colombia. Objective of Shopping Tourism Network The main objective of the Shopping Tourism Network is to create a platform for participants to collaborate on the analysis of key issues surrounding shopping tourism and the prospects for public-private partnerships, its development in different tourism destinations and the launch of product development projects specifically designed to meet the needs of the shopping tourist. UNWTO Shopping Tourism Network Action Plan for 2018 1. Joint publication with Value Retail under the theme Destinations within a destination: shopping tourism as a success story. 2. Meeting of Network s participants 3. 3rd International Conference on Shopping Tourism (date and venue tbc). 4. Shopping Tourism Prototype, Guanajuato, Mexico (tbd) 18
1.2 Specialized Segments Specialized segments are made for initiatives which have potential to be further developed into Networks but are still in early phase. Specialized segment on Sport Tourism o o UNWTO & Madison MK Conference on Sport Tourism for Local Development, Valladolid, Spain, February 2018 UNWTO and OSTELEA Global Report on Sport Tourism In the 21st century, sport and tourism both have the power to mobilize millions of people all over the world. The two sectors complement each other and share common goals such as forging understanding and closer relations between peoples of different cultures and lifestyles; and contributing to the promotion of peace among nations. Together, tourism and sport also represent a powerful economic driving force with enormous potential to generate a very wide-range of economic returns. In light of this, UNWTO and OSTELEA School of Tourism and Hospitality aim to produce a report to highlight the relationship between tourism and sports and their joint contribution to sustainable socio-economic global development. The report will also include experts analyses, discussion on the challenges and opportunities linked to sport tourism and identify the key elements of the sector. This Report will be launched during the occasion of UNWTO Conference on Sport Tourism in Valladolid, Spain (February 2018). Specialized segment on Family Tourism o o UNWTO & Eric Friedheim Institute Conference on Family Tourism UNWTO and New York University Global Report on Family Tourism Family tourism represents a large and consistently growing market within the tourism sector. As a consequence of global mobility, families are becoming increasingly geographically dispersed, which increases the market for family tourism and visiting of friends and family tourism as people will always travel to reconnect. The future of family tourism will be shaped by changes in both demography and social structures and, consequently, the tourism sector will need to adapt to the increasing diversity, fluidity and mobility in family tourism. The report will discuss recent and upcoming trends in family tourism in addition to experts analyses and case studies suggesting best practices. Copyright - 19
1.3 Working Groups In addition to Networks, UNWTO also supports Working Groups for those Affiliate Members who wish to exchange expertise with others in segments of tourism in which they have mutual interest. Working Groups serve as a crucial starting point for knowledge exchange and generation, from which further initiatives can be developed. On the occasion of the 38th Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members held in Yerevan, Armenia on 3-4 October 2016, it was decided to create working groups within the Affiliate Members Programme. The working groups of the Affiliate Members Programme are defined as multidisciplinary teams in which various UNWTO members with common interests in specific fields collaborate. Thus far, the following working groups have been created: Working groups have been established on the following topics: Working group on accessible tourism (At the request of Redestable) Working group on destinations at stake (At the request of BTW) Working group on meetings industry (At the request of ICCA and IMEX) Working group on quality in tourism (At the request of Instituto de Calidad Turística ICTE) Working group on scientific tourism (At the request of Fundación Starlight) Working group on technology and tourism (At the request of Google and Kyoto University) Working group on youth tourism (At the request of WYSE) Objectives: To serve as practical mechanisms to enrich the content of the Affiliate Members Programme s Action Plan. To foster the knowledge exchange among the different actors involved. To promote public-private collaboration in specific segments. To contribute to the visibility of UNWTO principles in the field of sustainability, accessibility and responsibility in tourism. Participation in the working groups: The work of each working group will be supported mainly by one or more Affiliate Member who is an expert in the subject at hand, who will contribute their knowledge to the development of contents and activities. The coordination of the different activities will be carried out from the Affiliate Members Programme. To formalize the participation, members must send an email to the Affiliate Members Programme requesting to be part of the working group in which they are interested; Members may participate in all groups they deem appropriate, providing experience, suggestions and technical means to achieve their objectives. Working group meetings will take place every two months and will be carried out through videoconferencing systems. In addition, working group meetings will be held taking advantage of activities or events organized by UNWTO or its members to bring together a significant number of members who may be interested in this issue. 20
Working Group Action Plan for 2018 1. Working Group Meetings It is encouraged to hold meetings in which current issues related to the topic of the working group will be addressed and presentations of the activities of the members will be made, providing an important meeting point for the exchange of opinions and experiences. The meetings will take place every two months and will be carried out through video conference systems. Meetings of the Working Group will also be held taking advantage of activities or events organized by UNWTO or its members to bring together a significant number of members who may be interested in this issue. All Working groups will be officially presented in the framework of the 39th Plenary Session of Affiliate Members, held during the 22nd Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu, China, on 11-16 September 2017. 2. Awareness-raising campaigns Open sessions will be carried out, presenting the benefits of each working group and showing examples of companies in the sector that have improved their competitiveness and productivity through the topic at hand. These sessions will be carried out online or in person, taking advantage of fairs, congresses, etc. 3. Development of pilot projects The main objective of these actions would be to demonstrate to the tourism sector, through the development of pilot projects, how to integrate solutions in a specific area. This will result in a significant increase in competitiveness, quality and profitability in the overall management of destinations, resources, facilities and services. The pilots are open to all members and the first pilot project is expected to develop in 2018. 4. Biannual event An international event will be held every two years, with the format of a conference, congress, meeting, etc., in which one of the Member States will act as host and will serve to raise awareness about the current and future state of the specific topic at a global level, in which all the partners who are currently working and actively to promote the topic in tourism will be able to participate. 5. 1st UNWTO Global Report on Astrotourism (in collaboration with Subsecretaria de Turismo del Ministerio de Economía, Fomento y Turismo de Chile) Astrotourism combines the exciting sphere of travel and exploration with science and astronomy and has the potential to raise awareness surrounding the importance of the protection of the skies as an environmental, patrimonial, scientific and economic resource. The report will explore a number of topics surrounding Astrotourism, such as the profile and motivation of the astrotourist, successful PPPs initiatives, astrotourism as a driver for local and rural development and the main challenges facing the sector. Copyright - 21
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Knowledge Dissemination Initiative for knowledge exchange An Affiliate Members Programme initiative for knowledge exchange and best practices amongst Members. It consists of workshops organized at UNWTO Headquarters by Affiliates Members with an expertise in a certain area. Here, they will have the opportunity to share their knowledge with other interested Members. We look forward to receiving the requests of those interested. Open-house days at UNWTO To take place periodically throughout the year offering Members the opportunity to visit UNWTO headquarters in order to become better acquainted with individual departments. We look forward to receiving the requests of those interested. UNWTO Awards Forum, Madrid Spain, 2018 The UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in tourism highlight the work of organizations and individuals around the world that have positively impacted and inspired the tourism sector through innovation and knowledge. The UNWTO Awards Forum, held on 15 January 2018, will highlight the importance of innovation in tourism and showcase the achievements of all UNWTO Awards finalists. the winners of the 14th UNWTO Awards will be unveiled on the occasion of the UNWTO Awards Ceremony & Gala Dinner, held on 17 January 2018 in Madrid, Spain, and organized in collaboration with the International Tourism Trade Fair (IFEMA/FITUR) and Universidad Complutense. Copyright - 23
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Talent Development UNWTO, GCU and HE Global University Forum: Human Rights on the Route of Santiago de Compostela As part of the Talent Development Initiative for the year 2018, together with Grupo Compostela de Universidades (GCU) and Helsinki España Human Dimension (HE), UNWTO through its Affiliate Members Programme, is organizing 1st UNWTO, GCU & HE Global University Forum: Human Rights on the Route of Santiago de Compostela. The forum is an academic initiative which counts on the participation of more than 200 international students from 25 universities worldwide. The main objective of the project is to study and analyze the Human Rights that integrate acceptance, hospitality and inclusion and their reflection on the Route of Santiago de Compostela as vital elements that shape the global identity and culture, as well as the relation between the Route and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The forum will achieve the full commitment from participating universities around the world to continuously and tirelessly work towards the SDGs in their universities until 2030. The project consists of four phases: 1. Four modules: The students will participate in a virtual study and debate on several principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the SDGs, as well as the 2030 Agenda, as they relate to and impact the Route of Santiago de Compostela. They will also analyze the possibilities of sustainable tourism development for the Route of Santiago de Compostela. The students will carry out a theoretical analysis of the tourism situation along the Route and become familiar with the existing tourism offers of it. 2. Tourism product: Following the analyses and study, the students will carry out practical work to identify good practices and improve the tourism offers on the Route of Santiago de Compostela seeking environmental, cultural and local economic development. They will propose practical tourism products, with a focus on development, whose viability will be verified on the Route in the following phase. 3. Route of Santiago de Compostela: The students will walk one of five stretches along four routes of the Route of Santiago de Compostela and carry out on-site research during their trip by comparing previous theoretical analysis with the actual tourism situation of the Route. This will enable students to establish whether or not their tourism products are feasible and allow them to update the products accordingly to adjust to the reality of the Route or develop new examples of sustainable tourism products that can foster local development on the Route. During these days, the participants also undertake cultural Copyright - 25
and volunteering activities in the afternoon, duly agreed with the Town Councils. 4. International Congress: The day after completing the Route, the International Congress will be held in Santiago de Compostela where the conclusions of the project will be discussed and the Declaration of Chancellors: The Route of Santiago de Compostela in favor of Human Rights and the SDGs will be signed. Furthermore, a plan for the continued commitment of the universities, professors and students work towards achieving the SDGs will be established. Talent Development Platform The UNWTO Knowledge Network Talent Development Platform promotes young talent in tourism by connecting UNWTO Members of the public and private sectors with outstanding students and young professionals from the UNWTO Affiliate Members. The platform is a virtual cooperation system in which UNWTO Members interact by showcasing internship and scholarship opportunities, and educational institutions of the UNWTO Affiliate Members participate by disseminating this information to their students. The UNWTO Knowledge Network facilitates this interaction by connecting both the supply and demand of internships and scholarships. To facilitate a lively sharing of internship and scholarships opportunities the Knowledge Network has developed guidelines and templates containing recommendations for promoting these opportunities and streamlining communication through the Talent Development Platform. 3rd UNWTO Forum on Talent Development and Employment in Tourism (date and venue TBC) The main objective of this Forum is to address the issues on tourism labour market and to share the views from the different actors including policy makers, industry leaders, educators as well as young talent on how to integrate actions to advance the shared agenda on talent development and management in tourism. Loyalty Programme To facilitate a way to exchange tangible benefits among Affiliate Members, the UNWTO Loyalty Programme is introduced. Through the Loyalty Programme, Affiliate Member will gain advanced access to exclusive offers from other members. UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism Since their creation in 2003, the UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism are held annually to recognize the work of organizations and individuals around the world that contribute to foster innovation in tourism and build a more sustainable and responsible tourism, in line with the with the principles of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics with the 26
adoption of universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as our way to support a shift in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to the SDGs. The UNWTO Awards for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism distinguish innovative tourism initiatives with outstanding achievements in the following four categories: Public Policy and Governance, Enterprises, Non-Governmental Organizations and Research and Technology. In addition to this, the UNWTO Ethics Awards, a newly created category, is conferred by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics to tourism companies and trade associations that have demonstrated excellence in the implementation of the principles of the Global Code of Ethics of Tourism within their business operations and Corporate Social Responsibility practices. Application is limited to signatories of the Private Sector Commitment to the Code of Ethics. Copyright - 27
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2018 Calendar of Events Statutory meetings 46th Meeting of the Board of the Affiliate Members, (In the framework of FITUR 2018) 40th Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members, (tbd) 47th Meeting of the Board of the Affiliate Members, (within the occasion of 40th Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members) Events 14th UNWTO Awards Forum, Madrid, Spain, 2018 14th UNWTO Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner, Madrid, 2018 46th Meeting of the Board of the Affiliate Members, 2018 1st UNWTO Global Conference on Sports Tourism for Local Development, Valladolid, Spain, February 2018 1st UNWTO Global Conference on Family Tourism, 2018 4th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, Thailand, 2018 47th Meeting of the Board of the Affiliate Members, 2018 40th Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members, 2018 3rd UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, Moldova, 2018 2nd Round Table on Sustainable Urban Tourism, San Sebastian, Spain 2018 (tbc) 7th Global Summit on Urban Tourism, 2018 3rd UNWTO Global Conference on Talent Development and Education in Tourism Copyright - 29
The World Tourism Organization, a United Nations specialized agency, is the leading international organization with the decisive and central role in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how. Its membership includes 156 countries, 6 territories, 2 permanent observers and over 500 Affiliate Members. UNWTO Affiliate Members bring together over 500 companies, educational & research institutions, destinations and NGOs whose activities are related to tourism and which contribute to UNWTO their knowledge and expertise to promote the development of tourism that s responsible, sustainable and accessible for everyone. Over 80 countries are represented among the Affiliate Members, the world s premier forum for exchanging tourism knowledge. For questions or to join the UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme, please contact us at: unwtoam@unwto.org. World Tourism Organization Poeta Joan Maragall 42, 28020 Madrid, Spain Tel: (34) 91 567 81 00 / Fax: (34) 91 571 37 33 www.unwto.org unwtoam@unwto.org / http://affiliatemembers.unwto.org