China will host the next United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly, outgoing co-president and Tourism minister Walter Mzembi announced.
by Wisdom Mdzungairi in Medellín, Colombia
Mzembi said the 22nd Session of the assembly, the most important global meeting of senior tourism officials and high-level representatives of the tourism sector, will take place in Chengdu, China, in 2017.
He was speaking at the ongoing 21st UNWTO General Assembly on Wednesday soon after handing over the rotational presidency of the tourism organisation to Colombia’s Trade, Industry and Tourism minister Cecilia Alvarez-Correa. Mzembi and Zambian Tourism minister Jean Kapata became co-presidents when the neighbouring countries co-hosted the 20th session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Livingstone, Zambia, and Zimbabwe’s premier tourism town Victoria Falls in 2013.
“Despite occasional shocks, tourism has shown virtually uninterrupted growth. Going forward, international tourist arrivals worldwide are expected to increase by 3,3% a year to reach 1,8 billion by 2030. Africa’s tourism policy, therefore, should dovetail from the African Union’s Vision 2063,” Mzembi told the assembly before heaping praises on President Robert Mugabe for appointing him to Cabinet for the last seven years.
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He said his continued stay in his post had guaranteed tourism stability and relative growth in the country during the period.
UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai said China’s importance as a driver of tourism development could not be understated.
“It is not only the world’s fourth most visited country, but the number one source market in the world, as well as a prominent leader in domestic tourism. These numbers, alongside the Chinese authorities’ continued recognition of tourism as a strategic pillar of the national economy and an effective development tool, make China a fitting host for the next UNWTO General Assembly,” Rifai said.
According to UNWTO data, in 2014, China received 55,6 million international tourism arrivals and generating $56,9 billion in international tourism receipts.
During the same year, Chinese tourists spent $164,9 billion abroad, making China a leader in terms of international tourism expenditure.
The general assembly welcomed Barbados and Samoa as new full members of the UNWTO bringing its member countries to 158.
“We very much welcome Barbados and Samoa as UNWTO full members. Their decision to join is clear testimony of the importance of tourism for island states, and I look forward to working even closer together to raise awareness of the unique relationship between sustainable tourism development and socio-economic prosperity in Small Island Developing States,” Rifai said.