Tweet
UN AGENCY SEEKS ?STRATEGIC APPROACH? TO IMPACT OF DISASTERS ON WORLD TOURISM
UN AGENCY SEEKS ?STRATEGIC APPROACH? TO IMPACT OF DISASTERS ON WORLD TOURISM
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has allocated additional resources and realigned its work programme for the years 2008/2009 to help better face the challenges of natural and man-made disasters to a market that last year registered 842 million arrivals.
?The need for a more strategic approach to risk and crisis management has been confirmed by recent events such as the forest fires in Greece, hurricanes in Central America, and the earthquake in Indonesia,? UNWTO said in a news release today.
Although tourism authorities from Greece, Honduras and Indonesia informed UNWTO that recent events have not caused major changes in the schedules of travellers, reflecting the resilience of the travel and tourism industry, ?it also underlines the need for a strategic and rapid response of the sector to the adversities,? the Organization added.
UNWTO said it is drawing on ?its rich experience and proven capability? in the work done so far for the recovery of tourism after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the various efforts on bird and human flu pandemics.
Actions included appeals to the world?s media to take care in its coverage of destinations hit by the tsunami so as not to slow the recovery of an important economic sector, avoiding a repeat of the ?infodemic? that caused a slump in Asian tourism 2003 when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) killed 774 people and infected more than 8,000 worldwide, the vast majority of them in China. <script><!-- D(["mb","\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>UNWTO then called on the press, and particularly\nthe specialized travel press, to issue honest and balanced information\non events and situations that could influence the flow of tourists.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>Last year the agency unveiled a new Internet\nportal to provide round-the-clock tracking of emergencies and avoid over-reactions\nto potential crises, focusing initially on the bird flu scare of a potential\npandemic. \u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>?The close collaboration with other UN bodies\nand agencies such as the UN System Influenza Coordination (UNSIC), the\nWorld Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization\n(ICAO), to name a few, should reinforce UNWTO in its future endeavours\nto tackle all forms of crises to the tourism industry as a whole,? today?s\nnews release said. \u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>In the aftermath of the 2005 tsunami, UNWTO\nSecretary-General Francesco Frangialli stressed that the best way to help\nsuch devastated tourist havens as Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Indonesia,\nwas to encourage tourists to return.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfo nt size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>* * *\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>AFGHANISTAN: UN-BACKED IMMUNIZATION DRIVE\nSTARTS AMID CALLS FOR END TO VIOLENCE\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>United Nations agencies have teamed up with\nGovernment health workers to carry out a polio immunization drive in insurgency-affected\nareas in southern and eastern Afghanistan, just days before the end of\na nine-week campaign aimed at achieving an end to violence in the strife-torn\nnation on and around 21 September, Peace Day.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The three-day immunization drive aims to\ntake advantage of the window of opportunity for accessing children in need\ncreated by the Peace Day campaign, which began on 19 July when the UN Assistance\nMission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) teamed up with Jeremy Gilley, founder of\nPeace One Day, actor Jude Law and the UN Children?s Fund (UNICEF) to promote\nthe International Day of Peace ? marked each year on 21 September.",1] ); //--></script>
UNWTO then called on the press, and particularly the specialized travel press, to issue honest and balanced information on events and situations that could influence the flow of tourists.
Last year the agency unveiled a new Internet portal to provide round-the-clock tracking of emergencies and avoid over-reactions to potential crises, focusing initially on the bird flu scare of a potential pandemic.
?The close collaboration with other UN bodies and agencies such as the UN System Influenza Coordination (UNSIC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to name a few, should reinforce UNWTO in its future endeavours to tackle all forms of crises to the tourism industry as a whole,? today?s news release said.
In the aftermath of the 2005 tsunami, UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli stressed that the best way to help such devastated tourist havens as Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Indonesia, was to encourage tourists to return.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has allocated additional resources and realigned its work programme for the years 2008/2009 to help better face the challenges of natural and man-made disasters to a market that last year registered 842 million arrivals.
?The need for a more strategic approach to risk and crisis management has been confirmed by recent events such as the forest fires in Greece, hurricanes in Central America, and the earthquake in Indonesia,? UNWTO said in a news release today.
Although tourism authorities from Greece, Honduras and Indonesia informed UNWTO that recent events have not caused major changes in the schedules of travellers, reflecting the resilience of the travel and tourism industry, ?it also underlines the need for a strategic and rapid response of the sector to the adversities,? the Organization added.
UNWTO said it is drawing on ?its rich experience and proven capability? in the work done so far for the recovery of tourism after the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the various efforts on bird and human flu pandemics.
Actions included appeals to the world?s media to take care in its coverage of destinations hit by the tsunami so as not to slow the recovery of an important economic sector, avoiding a repeat of the ?infodemic? that caused a slump in Asian tourism 2003 when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) killed 774 people and infected more than 8,000 worldwide, the vast majority of them in China. <script><!-- D(["mb","\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>UNWTO then called on the press, and particularly\nthe specialized travel press, to issue honest and balanced information\non events and situations that could influence the flow of tourists.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>Last year the agency unveiled a new Internet\nportal to provide round-the-clock tracking of emergencies and avoid over-reactions\nto potential crises, focusing initially on the bird flu scare of a potential\npandemic. \u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>?The close collaboration with other UN bodies\nand agencies such as the UN System Influenza Coordination (UNSIC), the\nWorld Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization\n(ICAO), to name a few, should reinforce UNWTO in its future endeavours\nto tackle all forms of crises to the tourism industry as a whole,? today?s\nnews release said. \u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>In the aftermath of the 2005 tsunami, UNWTO\nSecretary-General Francesco Frangialli stressed that the best way to help\nsuch devastated tourist havens as Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Indonesia,\nwas to encourage tourists to return.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfo nt size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>* * *\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>AFGHANISTAN: UN-BACKED IMMUNIZATION DRIVE\nSTARTS AMID CALLS FOR END TO VIOLENCE\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>United Nations agencies have teamed up with\nGovernment health workers to carry out a polio immunization drive in insurgency-affected\nareas in southern and eastern Afghanistan, just days before the end of\na nine-week campaign aimed at achieving an end to violence in the strife-torn\nnation on and around 21 September, Peace Day.\u003c/font\>\n\u003cbr\>\n\u003cbr\>\u003cfont size\u003d\"2\" face\u003d\"Arial\"\>The three-day immunization drive aims to\ntake advantage of the window of opportunity for accessing children in need\ncreated by the Peace Day campaign, which began on 19 July when the UN Assistance\nMission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) teamed up with Jeremy Gilley, founder of\nPeace One Day, actor Jude Law and the UN Children?s Fund (UNICEF) to promote\nthe International Day of Peace ? marked each year on 21 September.",1] ); //--></script>
UNWTO then called on the press, and particularly the specialized travel press, to issue honest and balanced information on events and situations that could influence the flow of tourists.
Last year the agency unveiled a new Internet portal to provide round-the-clock tracking of emergencies and avoid over-reactions to potential crises, focusing initially on the bird flu scare of a potential pandemic.
?The close collaboration with other UN bodies and agencies such as the UN System Influenza Coordination (UNSIC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to name a few, should reinforce UNWTO in its future endeavours to tackle all forms of crises to the tourism industry as a whole,? today?s news release said.
In the aftermath of the 2005 tsunami, UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli stressed that the best way to help such devastated tourist havens as Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Indonesia, was to encourage tourists to return.