The 25th UNWTO General Assembly begins in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with a host of panels and seminars engaging global delegates to shape the way forward for tourism.

In its first major UN Tourism event, Samarkand, the southeastern city of Uzbekistan, is set to host the 25th UNWTO General Assembly starting today. The 25th UNWTO General Assembly is the key event for the future of tourism.

According to a press statement by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), aside from the plenary sessions and many other engagements, the General Assembly will host two thematic forums, on education and on investments, in line with the UNWTO’s core priorities. UNWTO says global leaders have gathered to shape the way forward for a sustainable tourism sector.

The international tourist arrival numbers reached 84 pc of pre-pandemic levels between January and July 2023, according to UNWTO data. The Middle East, Europe and Africa lead the global sector’s rebound. 

UNWTO says that the agenda for the first day includes the 69th UNWTO Regional Commission meeting, attended by European tourism leaders. The meeting which seeks to consolidate decisions of the last meeting at Sofia, Bulgaria, offers the group the opportunity to put forward other pressing matters ahead of the Assembly.

The statement adds that the programme and budget committee will ensure UNWTO is ready to respond to the sector’s present and future challenges. The Committee on Statistics will hold a high-level panel regarding a 360 data approach to empower tourism. 

This will be followed by conversations around UNWTO’s statistical programme of work, the Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) and the steps taken towards a harmonised ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses and findings from pilots.

The 44th UNWTO Affiliate Members Plenary Session will focus on official activities at this year’s General Assembly. The plenary session is the most important governing structure of the Affiliate Members and will offer an opportune framework to debate on the state of the affiliate membership, analyse the evolution of the implementation of the programme of work and share information and proposals on future projects.

“We must harness the full potential of tourism to get back on track to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. That requires investing in sustainable and inclusive tourism, adopting zero emission pathways, protecting the environment and biodiversity, creating decent jobs and contributing to resilient social protection systems. I know that we can count on the UN World Tourism Organisation to carry this vision forward and together, build a better future, for people and the planet. I wish you a successful General Assembly,” says António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

“The UNWTO General Assembly gathers at a vital moment both for the tourism sector as well as for our societies. Tourism has weathered the biggest storm in its history, and we are now well on course to a return to pre-pandemic levels of international arrivals by the end of this year. At the same time, however, we must urgently face up to new challenges, most notably a mounting climate crisis, economic uncertainty and persisting geopolitical tensions. We can and must fulfil our duty to deliver on tourism’s potential as a source of sustainable development, opportunity, and understanding.I thank our generous hosts for their warm hospitality, and I look forward to a productive and inspiring General Assembly,” says Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of the UNWTO.

“The leadership and Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan recognise tourism as a strategic sector of the national economy with significant potential for economic growth, improvement of people’s well-being, particularly local communities, and support for the most vulnerable ones. Committed to the further advancement of sustainable and green tourism, the country seeks to promote its tourism brand through infrastructure diversification, widening its tourism product, and enhancement of the quality of tourism services,” says Aziz Abdukhakimov, Deputy Chair of the Government Commission on Tourism Development and Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan.

Being a key connecting city on the Silk Road between China, Persia and Europe, Samarkand is considered as a cradle for trade, culture and science. Replete with splendid portals, vast coloured domes and remarkable exterior decorations in majolica, mosaic, marble and gold of the architectural heritage, Samarkand was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001. 

In ancient times referred to as Afrasiab, Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. The major monuments include the Registan Mosque and madrasas, Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the Gur-Emir ensemble, as well as Ulughbek’s Observatory, adds the statement.