WTO global campaign stresses importance of tourism

"Tourism enriches individuals, families, communities and all the world." This is a central, simple but straight-forward message of the new awareness campaign with which the World Tourism Organization (WTO) wants to raise awareness of the positive impacts tourism can have on life, culture and economy, in short on society at all levels.

The "Tourism Enriches" campaign was launched at the First World Conference on Tourism Communications (TOURCOM) end of January in Madrid. "This is the

first time WTO has aimed a campaign at the general public," said WTO Secretary-General Mr. Francesco Frangialli. "It is a simple, upbeat idea and a simple beginning, but ultimately the campaign is intended to be

developed and used by the tourism industry, especially ministries in our member countries, as they see fit."

The initiative came from the WTO Members last year and was discussed at the 15th Session of the General Assembly in Beijing, China, last October.

"Governments have been putting a higher priority on tourism in the time of recent crises," stressed Mr. Frangialli, explaining that this resulted in recognition of tourism as the most prospective activity, important for

environmental, cultural and social awareness, pursuit of peace and international cooperation recognition and in particular of its ability to alleviate poverty through the creation of small and medium sized tourism businesses and the creation of new jobs. "That same recognition has taken place at the highest level in the General Assembly of the United Nations, which unanimously agreed on December 23rd to make the WTO its newest specialized agency."

"We are calling upon governments to implement this importance of tourism in practice and invest more funds in tourism development and communications, " said the Secretary-General. "The success of "Tourism Enriches" also depends in part on its diffusion in the media, so we are inviting them to become the third member in the already established public-private partnership in international tourism."

The aims of "Tourism Enriches" campaign are to promote tourism as a basic human right and way of life, to stimulate communication about the benefits of tourism as the most prospective economic activity for the local

communities and countries, to enhance cooperation between destinations and the tourism industry with the local, regional and international media and to link individual tourism entities to the larger community of

international tourism.