Countries call for closer tourism and air transport policies at the UNWTO General Assembly

ETW Staff – Mumbai

The General Debate of the 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly has put a spotlight on the link between tourism and air transport policies. Countries attending called for closer coordination between both policies highlighting that too often these interlinked sectors are dissociated (Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe, August 28, 2013).

Delegations from the 120 UNWTO Members States intervening at the 20th Session of the UNWTO Assembly discussed air transport policies in their respective countries and called for measures and initiatives to increase connectivity. Countries further called for closer collaboration between tourism and air transport policies

Issues such as visa facilitation, the need to make airports more visitor friendly, taxation, open skies and the impact of low cost airlines were among the issues in debate.

UNWTO has defined connectivity as one of its policy priorities alongside visa facilitation and fair taxation and is working with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on advancing these issues as well as those related to addressing climate change, the modernization of aviation regulations and the development of convergent rules for traveller and enterprise protection.

More than one billion tourists crossed international borders during 2012, over half of who travelled by air to their destinations.