Search form

United nations world tourism organization (unwto).

Activity Start date ongoing:  Ongoing Activity End date ongoing:  Ongoing Activity:  UNWTO takes charge of the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. UNWTOpromotes the value of tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmentalsustainability, and offers leadership and support in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.Recognizing the UNWTO’s role in promoting the potential of tourism in fighting poverty and achieving the SDGs,the UN General Assembly declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development(IY2017) and as of July 2017, UNWTO features on the DAC/OECD’s list of development assistance organizations.Tourism is included in SDG 14: ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources forsustainable development’ (besides the SDG 8: ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth,full and productive employment and decent work for all and SDG 12: ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production’).Nevertheless, given its cross-cutting nature, it can advance on all 17 SDGs.• In recent years, several capacity-building activities have been carried out by UNWTO and its member states(on a bilateral or regional level) and also with the support of some of the UNWTO Sustainable TourismObservatories in various coastal countries. An example of such a successful project could be the COASTproject (http://www.un.org/depts/los/nippon/documents/Non_recurrent_e_publication_Oceans_final.pdf).• UNWTO pays special attention also to the situation of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and to theirchallenges related to the development of a sustainable tourism.• Given the importance attached by UNWTO to the maritime, coastal and inland water tourism, upon theproposal of the Committee on Tourism and Competitiveness, the 22nd General Assembly adopted in China, inSeptember 2017 the definition of “Maritime, coastal and inland water tourism”. The adopted definitions areavailable on this page: http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/ctc_definitions_en_web.pdf. Objectives:  Promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism including maritime, coastal and inland water tourism Lead Organization/Partners :  United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Scope of Activity:  Global Websites:  http://www.un.org/depts/los/nippon/documents/Non_recurrent_e_publication_Oceans_final.pdf http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/ctc_definitions_en_web.pdf Activity Start date:  Ongoing Activity End date:  Ongoing Submitted By:  Relevant Stakeholder Relevant Stakeholder:  United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

  • Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)
  • Member States in Asia and the Pacific
  • SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OBSERVATORIES (INSTO)

Logo

ABOUT UN TOURISM

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

UN Tourism’s (formerly UNWTO) leadership vision acknowledges the most pressing challenges facing tourism and identifies the sector’s ability to overcome them and to drive wider positive change, including the opportunities responsible tourism offers for the advancement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UN Tourism’s members have endorsed the Management Vision of the Secretary-General which seeks to position tourism as a policy priority, lead in knowledge creation, enhance the Organization’s capacity through building new and stronger partnerships, and offer better value for existing Members while also expanding membership.

To realize the Management’s Vision, UN Tourism’s work is based around five distinct pillars:

  • making tourism smarter through celebrating innovation and leading the digital transformation of the sector
  • making tourism more competitive at every level through promoting investment and promoting entrepreneurship
  • creating more and better jobs and providing relevant training
  • building resilience and promoting safe and seamless travel;
  • harnessing tourism’s unique potential to protect cultural and natural heritage and to support communities both economically and socially.

As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO (now, UN TOURISM) promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

UN Tourism encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development worldwide.

UN Tourism generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.

UN Tourism’s membership includes 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members and over 500 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

source: https://www.unwto.org/who-we-are

OUR MANAGEMENT

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili took office in January 2018. Seeking to optimize the efficiency of the Organization, the Secretary-General has introduced a new leadership structure consisting of a Deputy Secretary-General and two Executive Directors, each one overseeing key structural areas and departments of the Organization, for increased efficiency in achieving UNWTO’s goals, including adding value to members, increasing membership and serving the tourism sector as a whole.

The management team works towards a comprehensive vision for development of the tourism sector. This includes positioning tourism as a policy priority, establishing thought leadership in knowledge and policy creation, increasing resources and strengthening UNWTO’s capacity through meaningful partnerships.

Source: https://www.unwto.org/management

※Each bar directs you to the UN Tourism headquarters website

Regional Support Office in Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)

Rsoap a to z.

  • Sustainable Tourism Observatories(INSTO)

UNWTO A to Z

  • About UNWTO
  • Affiliate Members
  • Member States
  • Tourism in the 2030 Agenda
  • World Tourism Day
  • Technical Cooperation
  • ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
  • MIDDLE EAST
  • RESOURCES/SERVICES
  • Sustainable Development of Tourism
  • Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility
  • Market Intelligence
  • Tourism Data Dashboard
  • Publications
  • UNWTO Academy

Partners links

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

© UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)

Everything About Hospitality

What is UNWTO along with Function, Objectives, Aims, Role & Importance

The UNWTO stand for United Nations World Tourism Organization. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN)

What is UNWTO ?

The UNWTO stand for United Nations World Tourism Organization. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for promoting sustainable and responsible tourism worldwide. It serves as a global forum for governments, tourism organizations, and other stakeholders to discuss and coordinate policies and initiatives related to tourism.

Aim of the UNWTO

  • Promoting tourism as a driver of economic growth
  • Promoting inclusive development
  • Promoting environmental sustainability
  • Protecting cultural and natural heritage
  • Supporting communities both economically and socially

Functions of the UNWTO

The UNWTO, or the United Nations World Tourism Organization, performs several important functions to fulfill its mandate of promoting sustainable and responsible tourism worldwide.

Below I share important Functions of the UNWTO

Promoting tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability.

Providing leadership and support in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

Generating market knowledge, promoting competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments.

Fostering tourism education and training.

Working to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.

Paying special attention to the situation of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and to their challenges related to the development of a sustainable tourism.

Promoting the potential of tourism in fighting poverty.

Successfully implemented Collaborative Actions for Sustainable Tourism (COAST), a tourism project in Africa.

By Above functions UNWTO, the UNWTO strives to advance sustainable tourism practices, promote inclusive and responsible tourism development, and maximize the socio-economic benefits of tourism while minimizing its negative impacts.

Objective of the UNWTO

Promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development, and environmental sustainability.

Strengthening Tourism Governance and Institutional Capacity

Offer leadership and support to the tourism sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

Promote responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism.

Protect cultural and natural heritage.

Facilitating Collaboration and Partnerships

Support communities both economically and socially.

Supporting Crisis Management and Resilience

Above these objectives reflect the UNWTO’s commitment to promoting sustainable, inclusive, and responsible tourism that maximizes the benefits for destinations, communities, and visitors while preserving and respecting the natural and cultural heritage of the places they visit.

Importance of UNWTO

UNWTO plays an important role in the global tourism industry. It provides leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide. UNWTO also works to promote sustainable tourism development, which is tourism that makes optimal use of environmental resources, respects the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities and provides socio-economic benefits for all.

Global Tourism Policy and Coordination

The UNWTO serves as a global forum for governments, tourism organizations, and other stakeholders to discuss and coordinate policies related to tourism. It provides a platform for sharing best practices, exchanging information, and fostering international cooperation. The organization helps in establishing common frameworks and guidelines, facilitating policy dialogue, and promoting policy coherence in the tourism sector.

Sustainable Tourism Development

UNWTO is committed to promoting sustainable tourism practices worldwide. It plays a crucial role in raising awareness about the importance of sustainable tourism, providing guidance on sustainable development strategies, and supporting member states in implementing sustainable tourism policies. By advocating for responsible and ethical tourism, the UNWTO contributes to the protection of natural and cultural heritage, the preservation of ecosystems, and the well-being of local communities.

Economic Impact and Job Creation

Tourism is a significant economic sector, and the UNWTO recognizes its potential for economic growth and job creation. By promoting tourism development, enhancing competitiveness, and facilitating investment, the UNWTO supports the generation of income and employment opportunities in both developed and developing countries. The organization’s initiatives help governments and tourism stakeholders leverage the economic benefits of tourism for sustainable development.

Knowledge Generation and Sharing

The UNWTO conducts research, collects data, and publishes reports on various aspects of tourism. It provides valuable insights into tourism trends, market analysis, and impact assessment, which assist policymakers, industry professionals, and researchers in making informed decisions. The organization promotes knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaboration among stakeholders, thereby fostering innovation, sharing best practices, and advancing the understanding of tourism’s role in sustainable development.

Crisis Management and Resilience

Tourism is susceptible to various crises such as natural disasters, health emergencies, geopolitical tensions, and economic downturns. The UNWTO plays a critical role in supporting member states and tourism stakeholders in crisis management, preparedness, response, and recovery. The organization provides guidance, expertise, and technical assistance, facilitating cooperation and coordination to minimize the negative impacts of crises on the tourism sector and help destinations build resilience.

Advocacy and Partnerships

Advocates for the importance of tourism on the global agenda and represents the interests of its member states in international forums. It collaborates with governments, international organizations, private sector entities, and civil society to foster partnerships and mobilize resources for sustainable tourism development. The organization works closely with other UN agencies, promoting the integration of tourism into broader sustainable development agendas.

Destination Promotion and Branding

The UNWTO actively promotes tourism destinations and products through campaigns, events, and partnerships. It raises awareness about lesser-known destinations, supports marketing initiatives, and encourages cultural exchange and tourism diversification. By showcasing the unique attractions and heritage of different regions, the UNWTO contributes to increased international tourism flows and economic opportunities for destinations.

Overall, the UNWTO’s importance lies in its role as a global advocate for sustainable tourism development, its facilitation of international cooperation and policy coordination, its support for economic growth and job creation, and its promotion of responsible and inclusive tourism practices. Through its activities, the organization helps shape the global tourism landscape, ensuring that tourism contributes positively to socio-economic development while safeguarding the environment and respecting the cultural diversity of destinations.

The UNWTO is a valuable resource for you, if you are a interested in tourism. It provides information, research, and advocacy on a wide range of tourism issues. The UNWTO is also a valuable partner for governments, businesses, and organizations that are working to promote tourism as a force for good in the world.

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

😎

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Tourism Beast

Important global organizations in Tourism and Hospitality

International Travel, Tourism and Hospitality organizations play a major role in advancing the development through the interests of the industry. They provide forums for discussions of common issues, lobby for industry causes, especially those which promote the industry’s interests, and allow members from different parts of the world to network and learn from one another. Nearly all organizations are involved in doing research, providing marketing services and training schemes that are most cost effective when done jointly under an umbrella organization.

  • United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive developmentandenvironmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

The UNWTO encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for

Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development worldwide.

1.1 Functioning of UNWTO.

The Secretariat is led by Secretary-General Taleb Rifai of Jordan, who supervises about 110 full-time staff at UNWTO’s Madrid Headquarters. The General Assembly is the principal gathering of the World Tourism Organization. It meets every two years to approve the budget and programme of work and to debate topics of vital importance to the tourism sector.  The UNWTO has six regional commissions-Africa, the Americas,

East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia.    The Executive Council is UNWTO’s governing board, responsible for ensuring that the Organization carries out its work and adheres to its budget.   As host country of UNWTO´s Headquarters, Spain has a permanent seat on the Executive Council.   

Specialized committees of UNWTO Members advise on management and programme content. These include: the Programme and Budget Committee, the Committee on Statistics and the Ttourism Satellite Account, the Committee on Tourism and Competitiveness, the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability, the World

Committee on Tourism Ethics and the Committee for the Review of Applications for Affiliate Membership. 

  • World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).  

 The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) was formed in 1991 by a group of Travel & Tourism CEOs to study the sector’s contribution to economies and job creation.  WTTC is the only global body that brings together all major players in the Travel & Tourism sector (airlines, hotels, cruise, car rental, travel agencies, tour operators, GDS, and technology), enabling them to speak with One Voice to governments and international bodies. 

The WTTC uses empirical evidence to promote awareness of Travel & Tourism’s economic contribution; to expand markets in harmony with the environment; and to reduce barriers to growth. It is important that WTTC has the broadest geographical representation and includes all aspects of the sector, including organizations that provide vital services to Travel & Tourism. With Chief Executives of over 140 of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism companies as its members, the WTTC has a unique mandate and overview on all matters related to Travel & Tourism. 

The body advocates partnership between the public and private sectors, delivering results that match the needs of economies, local and regional authorities, and local communities, with those of business, based on: Governments recognizing Travel & Tourism as a top priority business balancing economics with people, culture and environment a shared pursuit of long-term growth and prosperity.

2.1 Research of WTTC.

  • Policy Research .  A range of other research projects focused on issues impacting the Travel & Tourism sector, related to the three strategic priorities of Freedom to Travel, Policies for Growth, and Tourism for Tomorrow.  
  • International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 265 airlines or 83% of total air traffic.  IATA was founded in Havana, Cuba, on 19 April 1945. It is the prime platform for inter-airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical air services for the benefit of the world’s consumers. The international scheduled air transport industry is more than 100 times larger than it was in 1945.  IATA is led by Alexandre de Juniac, Director General & CEO since September 2016.

At its founding, IATA had 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in Europe and North America. Today it has some 265 members from 117 nations in every part of the globe. The IATA is the successor to the International Air Traffic Association, founded in

The Hague in 1919 – the year of the world’s first international scheduled services.  In April 2017, IATA celebrated 72 years of flying.   

  • With over 60 offices worldwide, IATA maintains relationships with governments and other industry stakeholders around the world, advocating on behalf of its members on key industry issues
  • Vision. To be the force for value creation and innovation driving a safe, secure and profitable air transport industry that sustainably connects and enriches our world.
  • Mission. IATA’s mission is to represent, lead, and serve the airline industry.
  • Representing the Airline Industry.

The IATA improves understanding of the air transport industry among decision makers and increases awareness of the benefits that aviation brings to national and global economies. Advocating for the interests of airlines across the globe and stopping unreasonable rules and charges, holding regulators and governments to account, and striving for sensible regulation are four important activities. 

  IATA helps airlines to operate safely, securely, efficiently, and economically under clearly defined rules. Professional support is provided to all industry stakeholders with a wide range of products and expert services.

  • IATA Members.

From 57 founding members in 1945, IATA now represents some 265 airlines in over 117 countries. Carrying 83% of the world’s air traffic, IATA members include the world’s leading passenger and cargo airlines. IATA membership is open to airlines operating scheduled and non-scheduled air services that maintain an IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registration.

  • IATA Airline Membership Benefits.

Increasing Communication.

  • The IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit bring together representatives from leading international airlines
  • IATA helps members gain influence with the travel agent community through the IATA Agency Program  

Providing Key Commercial Services & Training.

  • IATA programs help to strengthen the capabilities of aviation industry professionals
  • IATA members can receive discounts up to 30% on a number of IATA publications
  • International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a UN specialized agency, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

ICAO works with the Convention’s 191 Member States and industry groups to reach consensus on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and policies in support of a safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector. These SARPs and policies are used by ICAO Member States to ensure that their local civil aviation operations and regulations conform to global norms, which in turn permits more than 100,000 daily flights in aviation’s global network to operate safely and reliably in every region of the world.

In addition to its core work resolving consensus-driven international SARPs and policies among its Member States and industry, and among many other priorities and programmes, ICAO also coordinates assistance and capacity building for States in support of numerous aviation development objectives; produces global plans to coordinate multilateral strategic progress for safety and air navigation; monitors and reports on numerous air transport sector performance metrics; and audits States’ civil aviation oversight capabilities in the areas of safety and security.

  • Vision. Achieve the sustainable growth of the global civil aviation system.
  • Mission. To serve as the global forum of States for international civil aviation.  ICAO develops policies and Standards, undertakes compliance audits, performs studies and analyses, provides assistance and builds aviation capacity through many other activities and the cooperation of its Member States and stakeholders.
  • How ICAO Develops Standards.

The establishment and maintenance of international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), as well as Procedures for Air Navigation (PANS), are fundamental tenets of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) and a core aspect of ICAO’s mission and role.

SARPs and PANS are critical to ICAO Member States and other stakeholders, given that they provide the fundamental basis for harmonized global aviation safety and efficiency in the air and on the ground, the worldwide standardization of functional and performance requirements of air navigation facilities and services, and the orderly development of air transport.

The development of SARPs and PANS follows a structured, transparent and multi-staged process – often known as the ICAO “amendment process” or “standardsmaking process” – involving a number of technical and non-technical bodies which are either within the Organization or closely associated with ICAO.

Typically, it takes approximately two years for an initial proposal for a new or improved Standard, Recommended Practice or procedure to be formally adopted or approved for inclusion in an Annex or PANS. Occasionally, this timescale can be expanded or compressed depending on the nature and priority of the proposal under consideration.

  • United Federations of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA).

In the 1960s at the dawn of mass tourism, a few tourism professionals with great foresight saw the need of a global umbrella organization for the travel agency industry. By merger of Fédération internationale des agencies de voyages (FIAV) and Universal Organization of Travel Agents’ Associations (UOTAA), the Universal Federation of Travel Agents ‘Associations (UFTAA) was formed on November 22nd 1966 in Rome. Its first President was an Italian, Giuliano Magnoni, later followed by 24 leading personalities from all parts of the world. The federation was later renamed United Federation of Travel Agents´ Associations, still known under the same well-established acronym UFTAA.

As a globally recognized body UFTAA is the longest established negotiating partner with the leading travel and tourism organizations in the world. Of a special importance is the close co-operation with IATA, representing the interest of individual travel agents and as a partner in the IATA-UFTAA Training Programme. Two other organizations with close relationship are the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) and the International Road Union (IRU). Also in areas which are more distanced from the daily worries of travel agents has UFTAA actively been and still is a spokes-person for the agent´s interest. Particularly worth mentioning are the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) through its Affiliate Member Programme and at various occasions the World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA) and many more. The high-level contacts have enable UFTAA to assist national associations in their contacts with authorities and also to help individual agencies.

Through its history UFTAA has been a faithful, active and neutral advocate for all associations and independent travel agencies, irrespective of size and location. In the competitive environment of today a neutral umbrella organization like UFTAA is needed more than ever before to defend and promote the interests of travel agencies in their professional work on behalf and for the travelling consumers.

UFTAA gets ready to celebrate its 50 years of successful contribution to the Travel & Tourism Industry. UFTAA offers to its membership the valuable opportunity to be involved with UFTAA’s networking global platform in order to support good health of travel and tourism industry. UFTAA encourages associations; organizations; institutions and individual member agencies in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality industry to get connected via UFTAA. 

5.1 Mission.

UFTAA’s mission is to be an international forum where matters affecting the world travel industry are addressed, representing and defending the interests of incoming and outgoing tour operators, travel and tourism agencies before the governmental bodies, suppliers and other entities of international scope. It also aims at strengthening its members’ image and enhances the world travel and tourism industry and a sustainable tourism.

5.2 Functions of UFTAA.

To comply with its mission, the Confederation develops the following functions:

  • To unite and consolidate the Federations of Travel Agents’ National Associations and to globally enhance the   interests of their members      
  • To represent the travel agents’ activities before various world-wide bodies, governmental authorities and suppliers 
  • To work towards the adoption of measures that will ease travel for the consumer and to offer services to its member federations 
  • To offer, as a voluntary mechanism, an arbitration service which assists in solving conflicts resulting from commercial relations for which amicable settlement cannot be reached   
  • To organize a world congress of travel agents and other meetings necessary to the exchange and transmission of knowledge.
  • International and Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA).

January 1869, 45 Hotelmen met together in Koblenz at Hotel Trier, Germany and decide to create an Alliance between them under the name of All Hotelmen Alliance (AHA) to defend their interest, and they start to grow and get organized. Hotels were from different standards.

April 1921 various Local European, African, Latin, American hotels association met together and decide to merge into a new international Association and it becomes International Hotels Alliance (IHA). 

November 1947, after the end of the second world war and the creation of the United Nations, Hoteliers from International Hotels Alliance met together with The European Aubergistes association and the Asian Innkeepers Association and decide to merge into a large International Association to defend the Private sector worldwide from

Governments, Public sectors, Military etc…and create International Hotels Association (IHA) in London.

The IH&RA is the only international trade association exclusively devoted to promoting and defending the interests of the hotel and restaurant industry worldwide. It is a non-profit organization and is officially recognized by the United Nations. IH&RA monitors and lobbies all international agencies on behalf of the hospitality industry

6.1  Who are its Members?

  • International, National and Regional Hotel and/or Restaurant Associations
  • International and National Hotel and/or Restaurant Chains 
  • Owners, Developers and Investors
  • Individual Hotels and Restaurants
  • Institutions of the Industry (hotel schools, educational centers, universities)
  • Students / Independent Hoteliers and Restaurateurs

6.2  What Does IH&RA Do?

  • Monitor issues that are raised by major international organizations involved in tourism.
  • Represent the collective industry interests before policy makers.
  • Lobby for better recognition of the hospitality industry worldwide.
  • Lobby against damaging or costly attempts to regulate the industry.
  • Create Global Councils around industry issues to debate positions & create solutions.
  • Listen to its members to ensure that all issues are addressed.
  • Plan a series of informative Council and Board meetings and an annual Congress.
  • Provide support where requested to lend weight to local and regional issue.

6.3  Advocacy

As the only international trade association devoted to protecting the interests of the global hospitality industry, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association’s role is to monitor, research, and where possible, preempt the passage of regulation and taxation at the international level when this is deemed to run contrary to industry interests. The representation work involved in doing this is termed “advocacy” , i.e. advocating or defending the interests of a specific sector before public (and sometimes private) sector decision-making bodies.

Why to Undertake Advocacy?

The Travel & Tourism explosion of the last three decades has focused government attention on the hospitality sector as never before, bringing in its wake a surge of new regulation and taxation. Although laws are enacted at national level, they frequently have their genesis in international agencies (principally those of the United Nations) which have seen their role and mandate expand exponentially in recent decades.

As a result advocacy (or lobbying) to promote and defend the hospitality industry’s interests has been repeatedly stressed by Chain and National Association Chief Executives within IH&RA as the activity that constitutes their major expectation of membership. As a membership-driven association and the “voice of the industry”, IH&RA must be vigilantly proactive in protecting the global interests of the hospitality industry it represents. To do this, it is essential to monitor research and even more importantly, forecast the issues of concern and importance to its members and the industry at large

  • Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organizations, comprising 95 governments, state and city tourism bodies, 29 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 63 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond.

Since 1951 PATA has led from the front as the leading voice and authority on travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region

  • PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC) offers unrivalled data and insights including Asia Pacific inbound and outbound statistics, analyses and forecasts as well as in-depth reports on strategic tourism markets
  • PATA’s events create millions of dollars of new business each year for its members
  • The PATA Foundation contributes to the sustainable and responsible development of travel and tourism in Asia Pacific through the protection of the environment, the conservation of heritage and support for education.

7.1  PATA Chapters.

PATA Chapters are established throughout the world to assist in the fulfillment of the objectives of the Association. They are local community organizations of travel industry professionals who join in a co-operative Endeavour – within the framework of PATA – to develop travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific area. There are 40 PATA Chapters around the world that make valuable contributions to local travel industry communities.

You Might Also Like

Read more about the article Flash Packing

Flash Packing

Read more about the article Theories of Entrepreneurship

Theories of Entrepreneurship

Read more about the article Computerized Reservation System (CRS)

Computerized Reservation System (CRS)

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Diplomacy Network

  • International Relations
  • International Law
  • Political Science
  • Foreign Policy
  • International Security Studies
  • International Migration Studies
  • Get Published

Diplomacy Network

International Organizations: Definitions, Types, Functions and Limitations

International Organizations

International organizations, also known as international intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), are groups or associations that are made up of multiple countries and are formed to achieve specific goals or to address common issues. These organizations can be formal or informal, and they can be established through treaties or agreements between countries.

International organizations have a defined structure, membership and purpose. They are usually established by formal agreements among governments, known as international treaties or conventions. They have a specific mandate and a defined structure, which usually includes a governing body, such as a General Assembly, a Council or a Commission, and a Secretariat or Executive office responsible for carrying out the organization’s functions. They also have a defined membership, which can be composed of states, but also other entities like regional organizations and international NGOs.

Some examples of international organizations include the United Nations (UN), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the World Bank, among others. Each of these organizations serves a specific purpose, such as promoting peace and security, facilitating international trade, improving public health, providing financial assistance, and promoting the safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

It is important to note that international organizations may vary in their level of formality, membership, and scope of activities. Some organizations, like the UN, have a broad mandate and a large membership, while others, like the International Whaling Commission, have a more specialized mandate and a smaller membership.

International organizations also vary in their level of authority and decision-making power. Some, like the World Trade Organization (WTO), have the power to enforce decisions and impose penalties on member states that violate their rules, while others, like the International Olympic Committee (IOC), have more limited decision-making power and rely on the voluntary compliance of member states.

Types of International Organizations

There are several types of international organizations, each with their own specific mandate and objectives. Some of the main types of international organizations include:

  • Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs): These organizations are established by a formal agreement between two or more governments, such as the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Their mandate is to coordinate actions and policies between member countries on a wide range of issues.
  • Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): These organizations are independent from governments and are usually established by private citizens, groups or foundations. They can operate on a local, national or international level and focus on a wide range of issues such as human rights, environmental protection, and development.
  • International financial institutions (IFIs): These organizations are established to provide financial assistance and support to member countries. Examples include the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
  • Regional organizations : These organizations are established to coordinate actions and policies between countries within a specific region, such as the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU).
  • International courts and tribunals: These organizations are established to provide a legal framework for resolving disputes between countries, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
  • Security organizations: These organizations are established to maintain peace and security, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the African Standby Force.
  • Professional organizations: These organizations are established to promote the interests of a specific profession or industry, such as the International Bar Association (IBA) and the World Medical Association (WMA).

Functions of International Organizations

International organizations have a variety of functions that they perform in order to achieve their mandate and goals. Some of the key functions of international organizations include:

  • Facilitating international cooperation and coordination on global issues: International organizations provide a platform for member states to come together and work towards common goals and address common challenges. They can help to coordinate efforts, share information and best practices, and promote cooperation among member states. For example, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) helps to coordinate efforts to address climate change by bringing together member states to negotiate and implement agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Providing a platform for dialogue and negotiation: International organizations provide a venue for member states to engage in dialogue and negotiate solutions to global problems. They can facilitate negotiations and help to build consensus among member states on important issues. For example, the World Trade Organization (WTO) facilitates negotiations among member states to reduce barriers to trade and promote fair and open trade practices.
  • Developing and promoting international norms, standards, and policies: International organizations can help to develop and promote international norms, standards, and policies on a wide range of issues. They can play a key role in setting standards and providing guidance on issues such as human rights, environmental protection, and economic development. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) sets standards for the quality and safety of vaccines and provides guidance on how to control the spread of infectious diseases.
  • Providing technical assistance and capacity-building: International organizations can provide technical assistance and capacity-building to member states to help them implement international norms and standards, as well as to improve their capacity to address global issues. For example, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) provides technical assistance to member states on macroeconomic policy and financial sector reform, and provides financial assistance to help countries overcome economic crises.
  • Conducting research and collecting and disseminating information: International organizations can conduct research and collect and disseminate information on global issues. This can help to inform policy-making and decision-making, and can also help to raise awareness and promote understanding of global issues. For example, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducts research on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and collects and disseminates information on nuclear safety and security.
  • Peacekeeping and peace building: Some international organizations like United Nations, have mandate to promote peace and security in the world. They can intervene in conflicts and provide peacekeeping troops, mediators, monitors, and other resources to help prevent violence, and build peace in war-torn areas. For example, the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force, which is made up of troops, police, and civilian personnel from member states, can intervene in conflicts and provide peacekeeping troops, mediators, monitors, and other resources to help prevent violence, and build peace in war-torn areas.
  • Monitor compliance: Some international organizations have the mandate to monitor the compliance of member states with their rules, agreements and regulations. They can investigate violations and impose penalties or sanctions on countries that do not comply. For example, the WTO can investigate violations of trade agreements and impose penalties or sanctions on countries that do not comply.

These are some of the key functions of international organizations, but the specific functions of an organization can vary depending on its mandate and goals.

Advantages   of International Organizations

International organizations also have some limitations that can affect their ability to achieve their goals and mandate. Some of these limitations include:

  • Lack of enforcement power: Some international organizations have limited ability to enforce decisions and impose penalties on member states that violate their rules. For example, the World Trade Organization (WTO) can investigate and rule on disputes between member states, but it cannot impose sanctions or penalties on countries that do not comply with its decisions.
  • Limited membership: Some international organizations have a limited membership, which can limit their ability to address global issues and promote international cooperation. Organizations with a limited membership may not have the resources or expertise needed to address certain issues or may not be representative of all affected parties. For example, the G7 is an intergovernmental organization that is made up of 7 advanced economies, it does not include many developing countries, this can limit its ability to address global issues and represent the global community.
  • Dependence on member states: International organizations often rely on member states for funding and support. If member states do not provide adequate resources or do not fully support the organization, it can limit the organization’s ability to achieve its goals. For example, if a significant number of member states of the United Nations (UN) do not pay their financial contributions, it can limit the UN’s ability to carry out its mandate and activities.
  • Political considerations: International organizations are often affected by political considerations, such as the interests and priorities of member states. This can make it difficult for organizations to achieve their goals if member states have conflicting priorities or interests. For example, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) can be blocked from taking action on certain issues by the veto power of its five permanent members.
  • Bureaucratic and administrative challenges: International organizations can be large and complex, with many different departments and levels of bureaucracy. This can make it difficult for organizations to make decisions quickly and efficiently, and can also make it hard for them to be accountable and transparent. For example, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has a complex structure and decision-making process, which can make it difficult for it to achieve its goals in a timely manner.
  • Lack of universality: Some international organizations are limited by the fact that they are not universally recognized or do not have universal membership. This can limit their ability to address global issues and promote international cooperation. For example, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been criticized for being limited in its ability to prosecute individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity, as some countries have not ratified the Rome Statute, which established the ICC and therefore not all countries are under the jurisdiction of the ICC.

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Methods of conflict resolution in international relations

Regional organizations: definition, types, functions and limitations.

Regional Organizations

Diplomatic Protocol and Etiquette

Regional Organizations

Diplomacy Explained

Introduction to international relations

Introduction to International Relations: Definition, Importance and Interrelation with other Disciplines

Introduction to International Human rights law

Introduction to International Human Rights Law

Introduction to International Law

Introduction to International Law

Empowering Developing States for Climate Justice: Forcing Accountability from Developed Countries

Empowering Developing States for Climate Justice: Forcing Accountability from Developed Countries

Global North vs. Global South Tensions in Climate Change Governance and Interventions

Global North vs. Global South Tensions in Climate Change Governance and Interventions

African Diplomacy in a Post-Pandemic World: Challenges and Opportunities

African Diplomacy in a Post-Pandemic World: Challenges and Opportunities

Digital Diplomacy: Lessons From Canada's "24/7 Social" initiative

Digital Diplomacy: Lessons From Canada’s “24/7 Social” initiative

Recent articles.

Empowering Developing States for Climate Justice: Forcing Accountability from Developed Countries

© 2023 Diplomacy Network. Website designed and developed by Webspot

  • Privacy Policy

Tourism Teacher

The 3 types of travel and tourism organisations

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

There are many different types of travel and tourism organisations. From tour operators to airlines, to tourist boards and conservation activists, each organisation is different. However, most travel and tourism organisations can be grouped into one of three categories: private, public or voluntary. In this article I will explain what’s meant by each type of thew types of travel and tourism organisations.

Types of travel and tourism organisations

What is a private travel and tourism organisation, aims of private travel and tourism organisations, tour operators, travel agents, transport organisations and hubs, visitor attractions, accommodation providers, what is a public travel and tourism organisation, aims of public travel and tourism organisations, tourist information centres, tourist boards, local transport organisations, regulatory bodies, government bodies, what is a voluntary travel and tourism organisation, aims of voluntary travelled tourism organisations, pressure groups, types of travel and tourism organisations: to conclude, further reading.

Travel and tourism is big business and there are many different types of travel and tourism organisations. Many argue that the tourism industry is the biggest industry in the world, employing more people than any other industry! There are many different components of tourism , meaning that there are a wide range of organisations that are involved in the operational logistics of tourism management.

The types of travel and tourism organisations can be broadly separated into one of three categories: private, public and voluntary. Below, I will explain what is meant by each type of organisation.

Types of travel and tourism organisations

Private travel and tourism organisations

The first, and most common, types of travel and tourism organisations are privately owned. The majority of the travel and tourism industry is made up of private travel and tourism organisations. This includes many of the well-known companies that most of us are familiar with.

A private organisation is one that is owned by an individual person, a group of people or company.

Sometimes private organisations are public limited companies (PLCs). This means that the company is owned by many people who buy shares in the organisation. These shares are sold on the stock market. The price of shares goes up and down depending on the market value of the company.

Private travel and tourism organisations come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small companies, often known as small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Others are large companies, multinational companies and conglomerates.

Staff who work for a private travel and tourism organisation are generally paid a salary. Although travel and tourism salaries are often quite low, especially in developing countries!

These types of travel and tourism organisations have several aims. First and foremost, most private organisations aim to make a profit. Their most dominant motive is making money.

Many private travel and tourism organisations will also aim to increase their market share. This means that the company wants more customers than its competitors.

Private companies will often aim to grow their business and increase their turnover each year. In other words, they want to make more and more money every year.

Increasing revenue can be difficult and complicated. The infographic below gives you some idea of the aspects that need to be considered by a travel and tourism organisation when planning for growth and development.

Image is an important part of being a successful travel and tourism business. Private organisations will often try to portray a good image and/or improve their image. They can do this through taking on social projects , demonstrating a commitment to environmental conservation or through charitable acts.

This is often referred to as corporate social responsibility.

Types of travel and tourism organisations

Another way that private travel and tourism organisations can make more money and increase their profit is to diversify the range of products and services that they offer. In other words, the more different products/services that they sell, the more customers that they can potentially attract.

Examples of private travel and tourism organisations

There are many different private types of travel and tourism organisations. In fact, most organisations in the travel and tourism industry are privately owned! Below are some examples:

A tour operator is an organisations who puts together, or builds, a holiday.

There are many tour operators all over the world in all shapes and sizes. You may be familiar with some of the larger brands, such as TUI and Hays Travel.

A travel agent is the person who sells you a holiday. They can also sell individual travel products, such as flights or ancillaries (e.g. insurance, car hire, attraction tickets). There are several different types of travel agents .

Examples of travel agents that you may be familiar with include Cooperative Travel, Crystal Corporate and Virgin Holidays.

Transport is a key component of tourism and there are different methods of transport depending on the holiday.

A hub is a connecting point, where passengers may change transport options. For examples major airports bus station or a railway station.

Examples of major transport operators that you may be familiar with includes British Airways, Virgin Trains and Mega Bus.

Examples of major hubs include London Heathrow Airport, London Waterloo train station and London Victoria bus station.

Do you enjoy learning about travel and tourism? Follow my stories on Instagram for more on tourism theory and everyday travelling fun!

Many, but not all, visitor attractions are private travel and tourism organisations.

The types of visitor attractions vary widely, from theme parks to botanic gardens to historical buildings.

Examples of private visitor attractions that you may have heard of includes Disney Land, Paris, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and the Brighton Sea Life Centre.

Most accommodatio providers are privately owned.

There are many different types of accommodations ranging from bed and breakfast to caravans to hotels.

Accommodation providers that you may be familiar with include Hilton Hotel, Travel Lodge and Airbnb. Airbnb is a major player in the tourism industry in recent years- you can learn all about this business (and get a discount off of your first booking!) in this article- what is Airbnb?

Public travel and tourism organisations

Public travel and tourism organisations make up an important part of the travel and tourism industry . Public organisations provide many of the essentials fundamentals that enable the tourism industry to function. These types of travel and tourism organisations are less common than private organisations, but are an important part of the travel and tourism industry.

These types of travel and tourism organisations is an organisation that is owned or funded by the government.

Public organisations can be local organisations, i.e. smaller companies theatre based in specific local areas. Public organisations can also be national organisations, i.e. they operate on a country-wide level.

Public travel and tourism organisations will likely have paid staff as well as volunteers, who are unpaid.

The main aim of these types of travel and tourism organisations is to provide services to the public.

Public organisations are allocated funding by the government. The amount of funding that is allocated to a particular area depends on a number of factors, including a needs assessment and the government budget.

Each year the government will decide where and how to allocate money that is raised largely through taxes. You can learn more about how this is done in the short video clip below.

Public organisations should ensure that the best level of service is maintained. However, public organisations often have limited funds compared to private organisations. Therefore service levels are often lower in public organisations theatre directly comparable with private organisations (i.e. they are the same type of business operating in a similar way).

Unlike private organisations, public travel and tourism organisations are not profit-driven. Whilst many organisations do need to make money to survive, their main focus is not profit, but instead is the level of service. This means that prices can be kept lower for consumers.

Privatisation in travel and tourism Privatisation is a controversial topic within the tourism industry and beyond. Privatisation is the process of selling public organisations to private companies. By selling public organisations, the government can raise money and focus their efforts in alternate areas. However, this means that the government no longer have control over aspects such as pricing and service quality. There are many examples of privatisation in the travel and tourism industry. In the UK, British Airways was improved considerably when privatised- under government control the airline was about to fold. On the other hand, since much of British Rail has been sold to private companies prices have risen significantly and there is a lot of dissatisfaction amongst consumers with regards to service levels.

Types of travel and tourism organisations

When public organisations make profit, the intention is that this money is reinvested. The money may be reinvested directly into the same business. Alternatively, the money may be allocated elsewhere within the annual government budget.

Examples of public travel and tourism organisations

Public organisations are some of the most important types of travel and tourism organisations. They are often the backbone of the rest of the industry, without which it could not operate. Below are some examples of public travel and tourism organisations.

A tourist information centre (TCI) is an organisation that provides information to tourists.

Tourist information centres will often be located in tourist areas such as towns and cities and coastal destinations. They are also typically found at airports or major transport hubs.

Tourist information centres often provide free information such as maps, apps, brochures and leaflets about tourism in the area.

A tourist board is an organisation whose responsibility is to provide information about and promote a particular tourist area.

Tourist boards can be regional or national. Their job is to encourage tourism in the are within which they are based.

Tourist boards that you may have heard of in the UK include Visit Britain (the national tourist board), Visit Cornwall and Visit Oxford (regional tourist boards).

There are some visitor attractions theatre publicly owned.

In the UK, we have many museums and exhibitions theatre public organisations. The government subsidises entrance costs at some of the public tourist attractions.

By keeping a tourist attractions as a public organisation it enables protection and preservation of the area and of the attraction itself.It also enables sustainable tourism management by assessing capacity levels and visitor numbers.

Public tourist attractions that you may have heard of include the Natural History Museum in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Great Wall of China .

Many transport providers are publicly owned.

Buses, trains and airports are often public organisations. Although, as I previously stated, sometimes these are privatised.

By keeping public transport publicly owned it generally enables prices to stay lower, although the service may be inferior to private transport companies, who may choose to investor money into their products and services in anticipation of greater financial outcomes.

A regulatory body is an organisation with the purpose of regulating. These organisations will monitor and assess, imposing requirements and rules as needed. Regulatory bodies set standards and enforce compliance.

Regulatory bodies in the UK include the Bank of England and the Financial Policy Committee.

A government body is a group of people who are given the responsibility of exercising governance. These people are responsible for making decisions and agreeing law.

Government bodies are typically separated into sectors of the economy. Examples include the Department of Agriculture and the Department for Education.

Voluntary travel and tourism organisations

The voluntary sector plays an important role in our society. There are many different types of voluntary organisations, some of which can be defined as tourism-based organisations . Lets learn a little bit more about these types of travel and tourism organisations.

A voluntary travel and tourism organisation is a company that is not profit making. For these types of travel and tourism organisations, any profit that is received is directed back into the business, not into the hands of CEOs or shareholders, as would be the case with a private travel and tourism organisation.

Voluntary travel and tourism organisations are often funded through charitable donations or government grants. Sometimes they operate aspart of a legacy.

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Some voluntary organisations charge entrance fees to help with maintenance and running costs of the business.

Voluntary travel and tourism organisations will often rely on unpaid volunteers to operate. There will also usually be some paid staff, although salaries in the charitable sector are typically quite low.

For these types of travel and tourism organisations, the aim of a voluntary travel and tourism organisation is to preserve or protect particular areas of society or natural environments.

This can include environmental protection and conservation, such as a turtle breeding programme in Costa Rica or a volunteer tourism project operating in the Amazon rainforest.

Voluntary travel and tourism organisations may focus on the conservation of buildings, particularly if they are of historical or cultural value . They may also work with tourism stakeholders on landscape designs and features, often to ensure that any new development is in keeping with or does not negatively inflict on the current landscape.

Many voluntary travel and tourism organisations will work to lobby or campaign on particular issues. This will likely include cultural preservation, environmental protection and economic distribution. If there is a proposed development thatchy do not approve of, the voluntary organisation will often campaign against it.

Many voluntary travel and tourism organisations will centre around the concepts of conservation and sustainability.

Examples of voluntary travel and tourism organisations

There are many voluntary travel and tourism organisations around the world. Some examples of these types of travel and tourism organisations include:

Some visitor attractions are non-profit, voluntary travel and tourism organisations. Sometimes these are natural attractions and sometimes these are man-made attractions.

Examples include many National Trust organisations and conservation-based projects, such as elephant rescue programmes in Thailand or maorinebiology research programmes in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia .

Some transport is operated on a voluntary basis. This will often be associated with other charitable projects or as an incentive to encourage visitors to visit particular area.

There are a number of charities that are associated with the travel and tourism industry.

Organisations such as World Wildlife Fund and the International Animal Welfare Charity are directly linked with a number of tourism-based projects and initiatives.

A pressure group is an organisation which campaigns for change.

There are a number of pressure groups that are not tourism-based, but that are related to tourism management, such as Animal Aid and Friends of the Earth.

There are also pressure groups that are solely tourism focussed, such as the Aviation Environment Federation or Tourism Concern (note- Tourism Concern has recently ceased operations).

As you can see, there are many different types of travel and tourism organisations. These range from large to small and from profit-making to non-for-profit. There are three main types of travelled tourism organisations, which are private, public and voluntary.

If you enjoyed this article on the types of travel and tourism organisations, I am sure that you will love these too-

  • The 10 Major Types of Events
  • The 8 Major Types of Cruise
  • 150 types of tourism! The ultimate tourism glossary
  • 20 Popular Types of Hotels Around The World
  • 21 Types of Tourists Around The World

Liked this article? Click to share!

Advancing social justice, promoting decent work ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations

Migrated Content

G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting

Date of publication

21 June 2023

Files for download

Historical incidents in Indian Journalism: Discussion with expert Nitin Shastri UV STUDIO

In this new podcast of UV STUDIO, is discussion with History - expert Nitin Shastri. Budding Journalists and those who are interested in Media, need to know some very interesting incidents in the History of India's Journalism. Nitin Shastri, the guest, is a Historian at heart and a Tourism Mentor by profession. A thorough Scholar of History, Nitin Shastri has been associated with a number of Research Organizations. Delivering a number of Lectures about India's History, he also has an excellent understanding of International Relations. Nitin Shastri led the 'Kashmir Motorbike Expedition' and has a personal collection of 600 photographs of India - China War and India - Pakistan War. The purpose is to inform the new generations about the sacrifices of the Indian Armed forces in protecting the nation. The sole purpose of this video is to inform the viewers about the topic and nothing else beyond. Hope this will raise the interest of viewers in History of India's Journalism and encourage them to explore. Thank you all for the support, wishes and blessings to this Channel! History,Journalism,India's Journalism,Journalists,Mass Communication,Mass #Media #Reporter #Reporting #Editor #Editing #Media #India #India'shistory #News #Communication #Communicationstudies #News anchor #Television #Newschannels #Newspapers #Readers #Viewers #Audience

  • Episode Website
  • More Episodes
  • Vinay Kulkarni

Top Podcasts In Leisure

  • Side Hustles
  • Power Players
  • Young Success
  • Save and Invest
  • Become Debt-Free
  • Land the Job
  • Closing the Gap
  • Science of Success
  • Pop Culture and Media
  • Psychology and Relationships
  • Health and Wellness
  • Real Estate
  • Most Popular

Related Stories

  • Food, Travel and Tech These are the 10 most welcoming cities   for 2024—only 1 is in the U.S.
  • Get Ahead The 10 best U.S. cities for finding a   job—New York and L.A. are not on the list
  • Food, Travel and Tech New report: Top 10 destinations for   international travel in 2023
  • Food, Travel and Tech Tokyo, Bogota, Kuala Lumpur: Top 10 trending   global travel destinations for 2024
  • Life 10 most-sustainable U.S.   cities—they're almost all on the West Coast

Here are the top 10 smartest cities in the world — and none are in the U.S.

thumbnail

Smart cities in Europe and Asia are gaining ground globally while North American cities have fallen down the ranks, according to the 2024 Smart City Index released April.

Of the top 10 smart cities on the list, seven were in Europe.

This year's index was produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Center's Smart City Observatory in collaboration with the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) that's based in Seoul, South Korea.

The report ranks 142 smart cities worldwide based on data analyzed by researchers, as well as survey responses of 120 residents in each city. The study captures an overview of how the infrastructure and technology available in a city impacts the city's performance and the quality of life of its inhabitants.

So, what is a smart city?

According to the IMD , a smart city is defined as "an urban setting that applies technology to enhance the benefits and diminish the shortcomings of urbanization for its citizens."

With very few exceptions, cities in the top 20 are geographically located in areas where social and economic environments are relatively predictable, even against the overall climate of global uncertainties. IMD Smart City Index 2024

The cities that perform well on the list have also developed initiatives that cater to their citizens' overall quality of life.

"Such initiatives have focused on developing green spaces and broadening opportunities for cultural events and social bonding, for example," according to the report.

"In the majority of these leading cities, such efforts have been combined with innovative strategies to attract and retain talent, foster investment in a selective fashion [e.g. pro-sustainability], and tackle long standing issues regarding geographical inequalities and inclusion," the report said.

Here are the top 10 smart cities, according to the 2024 Smart City Index.

  • Zurich, Switzerland
  • Oslo, Norway
  • Canberra, Australia
  • Geneva, Switzerland
  • Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Lausanne, Switzerland
  • London, England
  • Helsinki, Finland
  • Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Notably, for the first time since the index's inception in 2019, there is an absence of North American cities in the top 20.

"Using three year moving averages (i.e. comparing a city's average ranking for the period 2021-24 to that of the period 2020-23), a significant number of US cities have been losing ground," according to the report.

"This is the case in particular for Washington DC, Denver, and Los Angeles (-12, -12, and -11 respectively), but also for San Francisco (-9), New York City (-7), and Chicago (-4)."

The highest ranking U.S. city this year is New York City which ranked 34th, followed by Boston at 36th and Washington DC, coming in at 50th place.

While European cities dominated the list, Asian cities are gaining ground too.

Here are the top 5 smart cities in Asia:

  • Singapore (5th)
  • Beijing (13th)
  • Taipei City (16th)
  • Seoul (17th)
  • Shanghai (19th)

Singapore has consistently ranked among the top 10 positions since the index's inception in 2019. It ranked 7th from 2020 to 2023 — except in 2022 when no rankings were released, and jumped up two positions this year.

Taipei City has also jumped 13 positions over the last year, from 29th in 2023 to 16th this year.

"Cities must design and adopt strategies that can resist the test of a future plagued with growing uncertainties, " said Bruno Lanvin, president of the Smart City Observatory.

"Health-related concerns remain high, while climate-related ones grow even larger; a mix complicated by renewed international tensions. Trust and good governance are growing in importance, and the significance of Al in city design and management is set to increase," he said in the report.

"Counterintuitive as it may sound, Al can help cities to become more human-centric," Lanvin added.

Want to make extra money outside of your day job?  Sign up for  CNBC's new online course How to Earn Passive Income Online  to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories. Register today and save 50% with discount code EARLYBIRD.

Plus,  sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter  to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

comscore

share this!

April 23, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

Grüner Veltliner white wine could be the toast of Pennsylvania, study suggests

by Jeff Mulhollem, Pennsylvania State University

Grüner veltliner white wine could be the toast of Pennsylvania, study suggests

States that are associated with signature varietals of wine can realize an economic benefit—some examples are regions in California linked with zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, Oregon with pinot noir and the Finger Lakes region of New York with riesling. Now, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that there is potential for Pennsylvania to join that list.

In findings published in International Journal of Wine Business Research , they report that a wine grape cultivar called Grüner Veltliner could bring recognition to the Keystone State and attract consumers. The vines, which grow well in cool climates, were first planted in Pennsylvania around 2003, the researchers noted. Since then, production has expanded across the Mid-Atlantic region, though acreage is still low relative to other cool-climate white grape cultivars.

Wine made from a signature grape cultivar could provide a point of differentiation for Pennsylvania, explained lead researcher Kathy Kelley, professor of horticultural marketing and business management in the College of Agricultural Sciences. The association can be used to promote the state's wine industry and more.

"Being associated with Grüner Veltliner wines could increase tourism and be used in marketing to highlight local cuisine and history," she said. "Our study aims to determine white wine drinkers' interest in Grüner Veltliner wine, a potential signature wine for the commonwealth, and identify the consumer segments likely to look for and purchase this wine varietal."

Field trials were conducted to determine the suitability for production in the state and a trained panel of wine consumers evaluated wine produced from Pennsylvania-grown Grüner Veltliner grapes to assess potential regional differences in sensory profiles. In the past five years, the researchers pointed out, Pennsylvania Grüner Veltliner wines have received several accolades and awards. The wine won the "Best Dry Wine" category at a state competition.

According to Wine Enthusiast, "The Grüner Veltliner grape is versatile and can produce a wide array of wines, from light and quaffable to rich and concentrated." The best dry Grüner Veltliners, the website stated, "are perfumed, bone dry and full bodied, with high acidity and distinctive notes of spice and white pepper."

Grüner Veltliner wine grapes are widely grown in Austria, comprising about a third of the country's total area under vine, the researchers said. It is recognized as the flagship variety grown in Austria, Kelley said, contributing to knowledge of the varietal that could lead to a thirst to try Pennsylvania grown and produced versions.

In the study, 676 wine consumers from the Mid-Atlantic region were surveyed and compared, based on their familiarity with Grüner Veltliner wine, their propensity to try new-to-them wines and the likelihood of looking for and purchasing Pennsylvania Grüner Veltliner wine. Although only a third of participants had some experience with Grüner Veltliner wine, 77% were "somewhat interested" to "very interested" in being able to sample and taste the wine, and 67% were "somewhat likely" to "very likely" to look for and purchase the wine.

Age, wine-consumption behavior, familiarity with Pennsylvania wine and Grüner Veltliner wine differed between participants, based on their variety-seeking ratings, which the researchers assessed based on answers to a questionnaire.

"Efforts to promote lesser-known wines need to be focused on identifying the likely buyers—especially those who tend to try new products or seek greater diversity in what they consume," Kelly said. "Variety seekers look for new and novel stimulus, and it is this quest for novelty that prompts consumers to try wines that are unfamiliar to them."

Study results present evidence of potential demand for a signature wine in Pennsylvania, the researchers suggest, adding that the research provides direction for targeted marketing and related promotional strategy, along with identifying wine that consumers are interested in tasting and purchasing.

Based on efforts to achieve recognition in other states, Kelley said, Pennsylvania likely will have to invest in developing coalitions to promote a signature grape cultivar.

"But if Grüner Veltliner wines gain a reputation for being consistently good across vintages and wineries, consumers are expected to sample and consume other wines and food products produced locally, thus driving further economic development," she said.

"With these potential benefits, it would be prudent for state and regional wine industry organizations to consider establishing the wine grape cultivar as a signature varietal."

Provided by Pennsylvania State University

Explore further

Feedback to editors

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago, pushing back previous oldest dated example

8 hours ago

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Star bars show universe's early galaxies evolved much faster than previously thought

9 hours ago

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Scientists study lipids cell by cell, making new cancer research possible

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Squids' birthday influences mating: Male spear squids shown to become 'sneakers' or 'consorts' depending on birth date

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Study finds rekindling old friendships as scary as making new ones

11 hours ago

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

How light can vaporize water without the need for heat

12 hours ago

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Researchers develop eggshell 'bioplastic' pellet as sustainable alternative to plastic

13 hours ago

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Previous theory on how electrons move within protein nanocrystals might not apply in every case

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Fruit fly pest meets its evolutionary match in parasitic wasp

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

World's chocolate supply threatened by devastating virus

Relevant physicsforums posts, the cass report (uk).

10 hours ago

Major Evolution in Action

Apr 22, 2024

If theres a 15% probability each month of getting a woman pregnant...

Apr 19, 2024

Can four legged animals drink from beneath their feet?

Apr 15, 2024

Mold in Plastic Water Bottles? What does it eat?

Apr 14, 2024

Dolphins don't breathe through their esophagus

More from Biology and Medical

Related Stories

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Do wine judges give higher scores to wines made with less-known grape varieties?

Oct 29, 2021

Given more information about how wine is made, consumers less likely to pay for organic

Jun 26, 2019

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Spicy wine: New study reveals ancient Romans may have had peculiar tastes

Jan 24, 2024

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Sensory tests suggest 'liking' wines made with native grapes a learned response

Mar 6, 2019

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Wine descriptions make people more emotional about wine

Jun 7, 2017

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Video: There's finally (peer reviewed) chemistry in wine and food pairings

Aug 29, 2022

Recommended for you

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Researchers uncover natural variation in wild emmer wheat for broad-spectrum disease resistance

17 hours ago

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

How spicy does mustard get depending on the soil?

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

A nematode gel to protect crops in Africa and Asia

Apr 17, 2024

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Making crops colorful for easier weeding by robots

what is the purpose of international tourist organizations

Plant sensors could act as an early warning system for farmers

Let us know if there is a problem with our content.

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Glossary of tourism terms

UN standards for measuring tourism

Share this content.

  • Share this article on facebook
  • Share this article on twitter
  • Share this article on linkedin

Glossary of tourism terms

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which involve tourism expenditure.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Activity/activities : In tourism statistics, the term activities represent the actions and behaviors of people in preparation for and during a trip in their capacity as consumers ( IRTS 2008, 1.2 ).

Activity (principal): The principal activity of a producer unit is the activity whose value added exceeds that of any other activity carried out within the same unit ( SNA 2008, 5.8 ).

Activity (productive): The (productive) activity carried out by a statistical unit is the type of production in which it engages. It has to be understood as a process, i.e. the combination of actions that result in a certain set of products. The classification of productive activities is determined by their principal output.

Administrative data : Administrative data is the set of units and data derived from an administrative source. This is a data holding information collected and maintained for the purpose of implementing one or more administrative regulations.

Adventure tourism : Adventure tourism is a type of tourism which usually takes place in destinations with specific geographic features and landscape and tends to be associated with a physical activity, cultural exchange, interaction and engagement with nature. This experience may involve some kind of real or perceived risk and may require significant physical and/or mental effort. Adventure tourism generally includes outdoor activities such as mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, rock climbing, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, canyoning, mountain biking, bush walking, scuba diving. Likewise, some indoor adventure tourism activities may also be practiced.

Aggregated data : The result of transforming unit level data into quantitative measures for a set of characteristics of a population.

Aggregation : A process that transforms microdata into aggregate-level information by using an aggregation function such as count, sum average, standard deviation, etc.

Analytical unit : Entity created by statisticians, by splitting or combining observation units with the help of estimations and imputations.

Balance of payments : The balance of payments is a statistical statement that summarizes transactions between residents and non-residents during a period. It consists of the goods and services account, the primary income account, the secondary income account, the capital account, and the financial account ( BPM6, 2.12 ).

Bias : An effect which deprives a statistical result of representativeness by systematically distorting it, as distinct from a random error which may distort on any one occasion but balances out on the average.

Business and professional purpose (of a tourism trip): The business and professional purpose of a tourism trip includes the activities of the self-employed and employees, as long as they do not correspond to an implicit or explicit employer-employee relationship with a resident producer in the country or place visited, those of investors, businessmen, etc. ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Business tourism : Business tourism is a type of tourism activity in which visitors travel for a specific professional and/or business purpose to a place outside their workplace and residence with the aim of attending a meeting, an activity or an event. The key components of business tourism are meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. The term "meetings industry" within the context of business tourism recognizes the industrial nature of such activities. Business tourism can be combined with any other tourism type during the same trip.

Business visitor : A business visitor is a visitor whose main purpose for a tourism trip corresponds to the business and professional category of purpose ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Central Product Classification : The Central Product Classification (CPC) constitutes a complete product classification covering goods and services. It is intended to serve as an international standard for assembling and tabulating all kinds of data requiring product detail, including industrial production, national accounts, service industries, domestic and foreign commodity trade, international trade in services, balance of payments, consumption and price statistics. Other basic aims are to provide a framework for international comparison and promote harmonization of various types of statistics dealing with goods and services.

Census : A census is the complete enumeration of a population or groups at a point in time with respect to well defined characteristics: for example, Population, Production, Traffic on particular roads.

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism : Coastal tourism refers to land-based tourism activities such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing and other coastal leisure, recreation and sports activities which take place on the shore of a sea, lake or river. Proximity to the coast is also a condition for services and facilities that support coastal tourism. Maritime tourism refers to sea-based activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports and includes their respective land-based services and infrastructure. Inland water tourism refers to tourism activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports which take place in aquatic- influenced environments located within land boundaries and include lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, groundwater, springs, cave waters and others traditionally grouped as inland wetlands.

Coherence : Adequacy of statistics to be combined in different ways and for various uses.

Competitiveness of a tourism destination : The competitiveness of a tourism destination is the ability of the destination to use its natural, cultural, human, man-made and capital resources efficiently to develop and deliver quality, innovative, ethical and attractive tourism products and services in order to achieve a sustainable growth within its overall vision and strategic goals, increase the added value of the tourism sector, improve and diversify its market components and optimize its attractiveness and benefits both for visitors and the local community in a sustainable perspective.

Consistency : Logical and numerical coherence.

Country of reference : The country of reference refers to the country for which the measurement is done. ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Country of residence : The country of residence of a household is determined according to the centre of predominant economic interest of its members. If a person resides (or intends to reside) for more than one year in a given country and has there his/her centre of economic interest (for example, where the predominant amount of time is spent), he/she is considered as a resident of this country.

Country-specific tourism characteristic products and activities : To be determined by each country by applying the criteria of IRTS 2008, 5.10 in their own context; for these products, the activities producing them will be considered as tourism characteristic, and the industries in which the principal activity is tourism-characteristic will be called tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 5.16 ).

Cultural tourism : Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.

Data checking : Activity whereby the correctness conditions of the data are verified. It also includes the specification of the type of error or of the condition not met, and the qualification of the data and their division into "error-free data" and "erroneous data".

Data collection : Systematic process of gathering data for official statistics.

Data compilation : Operations performed on data to derive new information according to a given set of rules.

Data confrontation : The process of comparing data that has generally been derived from different surveys or other sources, especially those of different frequencies, in order to assess and possibly improve their coherency, and identify the reasons for any differences.

Data processing : Data processing is the operation performed on data by the organization, institute, agency, etc., responsible for undertaking the collection, tabulation, manipulation and preparation of data and metadata output.

Data reconciliation : The process of adjusting data derived from two different sources to remove, or at least reduce, the impact of differences identified.

Destination (main destination of a trip): The main destination of a tourism trip is defined as the place visited that is central to the decision to take the trip. See also purpose of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.31 ).

Destination management / marketing organization (DMO) : A destination management/marketing organization (DMO) is the leading organizational entity which may encompass the various authorities, stakeholders and professionals and facilitates tourism sector partnerships towards a collective destination vision. The governance structures of DMOs vary from a single public authority to a public/ private partnership model with the key role of initiating, coordinating and managing certain activities such as implementation of tourism policies, strategic planning, product development, promotion and marketing and convention bureau activities. The functions of the DMOs may vary from national to regional and local levels depending on the current and potential needs as well as on the decentralization level of public administration. Not every tourism destination has a DMO.

Documentation: Processes and procedures for imputation,  weighting,  confidentiality  and suppression rules, outlier treatment and data capture should be fully documented by the  survey provider.  Such documentation should be made available to at least  the body financing the survey.

Domestic tourism : Domestic tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor within the country of reference, either as part of a domestic tourism trip or part of an outbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Domestic tourism consumption : Domestic tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Domestic tourism expenditure : Domestic tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor within the economy of reference, (IRTS 2008, 4.15(a)).

Domestic tourism trip : A domestic tourism trip is one with a main destination within the country of residence of the visitor (IRTS 2008, 2.32).

Domestic visitor : As a visitor travels within his/her country of residence, he/she is a domestic visitor and his/her activities are part of domestic tourism.

Durable consumer goods : Durable consumer goods are goods that may be used repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more, assuming a normal or average rate of physical usage. When acquired by producers, these are considered to be capital goods used for production processes, as is the case of vehicles, computers, etc. When acquired by households, they are considered to be consumer durable goods ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.39 ). This definition is identical to the definition of SNA 2008, 9.42 : A consumer durable is a goodthat may be used for purposes of consumption repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more.

Dwellings : Each household has a principal dwelling (sometimes also designated as main or primary home), usually defined with reference to time spent there, whose location defines the country of residence and place of usual residence of this household and of all its members. All other dwellings (owned or leased by the household) are considered secondary dwellings ( IRTS 2008, 2.26 ).

Ecotourism : Ecotourism is a type of nature-based tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to observe, learn, discover, experience and appreciate biological and cultural diversity with a responsible attitude to protect the integrity of the ecosystem and enhance the well-being of the local community. Ecotourism increases awareness towards the conservation of biodiversity, natural environment and cultural assets both among locals and the visitors and requires special management processes to minimize the negative impact on the ecosystem.

Economic analysis : Tourism generates directly and indirectly an increase in economic activity in the places visited (and beyond), mainly due to demand for goods and services thatneed to be produced and provided. In the economic analysis of tourism, one may distinguish between tourism's 'economic contribution' which refers to the direct effect of tourism and is measurable by means of the TSA, and tourism's 'economic impact' which is a much broader concept encapsulating the direct, indirect and induced effects of tourism and which must be estimated by applying models. Economic impact studies aim to quantify economic benefits, that is, the net increase in the wealth of residents resulting from tourism, measured in monetary terms, over and above the levels that would prevail in its absence.

Economic territory : The term "economic territory" is a geographical reference and points to the country for which the measurement is done (country of reference) ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Economically active population : The economically active population or labour force comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for the production of goods and services as defined by the system of national accounts during a specified time-reference period (ILO, Thirteenth ICLS, 6.18).

Economy (of reference): "Economy" (or "economy of reference") is an economic reference defined in the same way as in the balance of payments and in the system of national accounts: it refers to the economic agents that are resident in the country of reference ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Education tourism : Education tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation the tourist's engagement and experience in learning, self-improvement, intellectual growth and skills development. Education Tourism represents a broad range of products and services related to academic studies, skill enhancement holidays, school trips, sports training, career development courses and language courses, among others.

Employees : Employees are all those workers who hold the type of job defined as "paid employment" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employer-employee relationship : An employer-employee relationship exists when there is an agreement, which may be formal or informal, between an entity and an individual, normally entered into voluntarily by both parties, whereby the individual works for the entity in return for remuneration in cash or in kind ( BPM6, 11.11 ).

Employers : Employers are those workers who, working on their own account with one or more partners, hold the type of job defined as a "self-employment job" and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference period) have engaged one or more persons to work for them in their business as "employee(s)" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employment : Persons in employment are all persons above a specified age who, during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in paid employment or self-employment (OECD GST, p. 170).

Employment in tourism industries : Employment in tourism industries may be measured as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in any of their jobs, as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in their main job, or as a count of the jobs in tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 7.9 ).

Enterprise : An enterprise is an institutional unit engaged in production of goods and/or services. It may be a corporation, a non-profit institution, or an unincorporated enterprise. Corporate enterprises and non-profit institutions are complete institutional units. An unincorporated enterprise, however, refers to an institutional unit —a household or government unit —only in its capacity as a producer of goods and services (OECD BD4, p. 232)

Establishment : An establishment is an enterprise, or part of an enterprise, that is situated in a single location and in which only a single productive activity is carried out or in which the principal productive activity accounts for most of the value added ( SNA 2008, 5.14 ).

Estimation : Estimation is concerned with inference about the numerical value of unknown population values from incomplete data such as a sample. If a single figure is calculated for each unknown parameter the process is called "point estimation". If an interval is calculated within which the parameter is likely, in some sense, to lie, the process is called "interval estimation".

Exports of goods and services : Exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, or gifts or grants, of goods and services from residents to non-residents (OECD GST, p. 194)

Frame : A list, map or other specification of the units which define a population to be completely enumerated or sampled.

Forms of tourism : There are three basic forms of tourism: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism. These can be combined in various ways to derive the following additional forms of tourism: internal tourism, national tourism and international tourism.

Gastronomy tourism :  Gastronomy tourism is a type of tourism activity which is characterized by the visitor's experience linked with food and related products and activities while travelling. Along with authentic, traditional, and/or innovative culinary experiences, Gastronomy Tourism may also involve other related activities such as visiting the local producers, participating in food festivals and attending cooking classes. Eno-tourism (wine tourism), as a sub-type of gastronomy tourism, refers to tourism whose purpose is visiting vineyards, wineries, tasting, consuming and/or purchasing wine, often at or near the source.

Goods : Goods are physical, produced objects for which a demand exists, over which ownership rights can be established and whose ownership can be transferred from one institutional unit to another by engaging in transactions on markets ( SNA 2008, p. 623 ).

Gross fixed capital formation : Gross fixed capital formation is defined as the value of institutional units' acquisitions less disposals of fixed assets. Fixed assets are produced assets (such as machinery, equipment, buildings or other structures) that are used repeatedly or continuously in production over several accounting periods (more than one year) ( SNA 2008, 1.52 ).

Gross margin : The gross margin of a provider of reservation services is the difference between the value at which the intermediated service is sold and the value accrued to the provider of reservation services for this intermediated service.

Gross value added : Gross value added is the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 3.32 ).

Gross value added of tourism industries : Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI) is the total gross value added of all establishments belonging to tourism industries, regardless of whether all their output is provided to visitors and the degree of specialization of their production process ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.86 ).

Grossing up : Activity aimed at transforming, based on statistical methodology, micro-data from samples into aggregate-level information representative of the target population.

Health tourism : Health tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation, the contribution to physical, mental and/or spiritual health through medical and wellness-based activities which increase the capacity of individuals to satisfy their own needs and function better as individuals in their environment and society. Health tourism is the umbrella term for the subtypes wellness tourism and medical tourism.

Imputation : Procedure for entering a value for a specific data item where the response is missing or unusable.

Inbound tourism : Inbound tourism comprises the activities of a non-resident visitor within the country of reference on an inbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Inbound tourism consumption : Inbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Inbound tourism expenditure : Inbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(b) ).

Innovation in tourism : Innovation in tourism is the introduction of a new or improved component which intends to bring tangible and intangible benefits to tourism stakeholders and the local community, improve the value of the tourism experience and the core competencies of the tourism sector and hence enhance tourism competitiveness and /or sustainability. Innovation in tourism may cover potential areas, such as tourism destinations, tourism products, technology, processes, organizations and business models, skills, architecture, services, tools and/or practices for management, marketing, communication, operation, quality assurance and pricing.

Institutional sector : An aggregation of institutional units on the basis of the type of producer and depending on their principal activity and function, which are considered to be indicative of their economic behaviour.

Institutional unit : The elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function.

Intermediate consumption : Intermediate consumption consists of the value of the goods and services consumed as inputs by a process of production, excluding fixed assets whose consumption is recorded as consumption of fixed capital ( SNA 2008, 6.213 ).

Internal tourism : Internal tourism comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident and non-resident visitors within the country of reference as part of domestic or international tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(a) ).

Internal tourism consumption : Internal tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of both resident and non-resident visitors within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and inbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Internal tourism expenditure : Internal tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of visitors, both resident and non-resident, within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and inbound tourism expenditure. It includes acquisition of goods and services imported into the country of reference and sold to visitors. This indicator provides the most comprehensive measurement of tourism expenditure in the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(a) ).

International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities : The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) consists of a coherent and consistent classification structure of economic activities based on a set of internationally agreed concepts, definitions, principles and classification rules. It provides a comprehensive framework within which economic data can be collected and reported in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking. The classification structure represents a standard format to organize detailed information about the state of an economy according to economic principles and perceptions (ISIC, Rev.4, 1).

International tourism : International tourism comprises inbound tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips and the activities of non-resident visitors within the country of reference on inbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(c) ).

International visitor : An international traveller qualifies as an international visitor with respect to the country of reference if: (a) he/she is on a tourism trip and (b) he/she is a non-resident travelling in the country of reference or a resident travelling outside of it ( IRTS 2008, 2.42 ).

Job : The agreement between an employee and the employer defines a job and each self-employed person has a job ( SNA 2008, 19.30 ).

Measurement error : Error in reading, calculating or recording numerical value.

Medical tourism : Medical tourism is a type of tourism activity which involves the use of evidence-based medical healing resources and services (both invasive and non-invasive). This may include diagnosis, treatment, cure, prevention and rehabilitation.

Meetings industry : To highlight purposes relevant to the meetings industry, if a trip's main purpose is business/professional, it can be further subdivided into "attending meetings, conferences or congresses, trade fairs and exhibitions" and "other business and professional purposes". The term meetings industry is preferred by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Reed Travel over the acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) which does not recognize the industrial nature of such activities.

Metadata : Data that defines and describes other data and processes.

MICE : See meetings industry.

Microdata : Non-aggregated observations, or measurements of characteristics of individual units.

Mirror statistics : Mirror statistics are used to conduct bilateral comparisons of two basic measures of a trade flow and are a traditional tool for detecting the causes of asymmetries in statistics (OECD GST, p. 335).

Mountain tourism : Mountain tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in a defined and limited geographical space such as hills or mountains with distinctive characteristics and attributes that are inherent to a specific landscape, topography, climate, biodiversity (flora and fauna) and local community. It encompasses a broad range of outdoor leisure and sports activities.

National tourism : National tourism comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors within and outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(b) ).

National tourism consumption : National tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of resident visitors, within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and outbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

National tourism expenditure : National tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of resident visitors within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and outbound tourism expenditure ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(b) ).

Nationality : The concept of "country of residence" of a traveller is different from that of his/her nationality or citizenship ( IRTS 2008, 2.19 ).

Non-monetary indicators : Data measured in physical or other non-monetary units should not be considered a secondary part of a satellite account. They are essential components, both for the information they provide directly and in order to analyse the monetary data adequately ( SNA 2008, 29.84 ).

Observation unit : entity on which information is received and statistics are compiled.

Outbound tourism : Outbound tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor outside the country of reference, either as part of an outbound tourism trip or as part of a domestic tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39(c) ).

Outbound tourism consumption : Outbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Outbound tourism expenditure : Outbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(c) ).

Output : Output is defined as the goods and services produced by an establishment, a) excluding the value of any goods and services used in an activity for which the establishment does not assume the risk of using the products in production, and b) excluding the value of goods and services consumed by the same establishment except for goods and services used for capital formation (fixed capital or changes in inventories) or own final consumption ( SNA 2008, 6.89 ).

Output (main): The main output of a (productive) activity should be determined by reference to the value added of the goods sold or services rendered (ISIC rev.4, 114).

Pilot survey : The aim of a pilot survey is to test the questionnaire (pertinence of the questions, understanding of questions by those being interviewed, duration of the interview) and to check various potential sources for sampling and non-sampling errors: for instance, the place in which the surveys are carried out and the method used, the identification of any omitted answers and the reason for the omission, problems of communicating in various languages, translation, the mechanics of data collection, the organization of field work, etc.

Place of usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides, and is defined by the location of his/her principal dwelling (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.20 to 2.24).

Probability sample : A sample selected by a method based on the theory of probability (random process), that is, by a method involving knowledge of the likelihood of any unit being selected.

Production account : The production account records the activity of producing goods and services as defined within the SNA. Its balancing item, gross value added, is defined as the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP made by an individual producer, industry or sector. Gross value added is the source from which the primary incomes of the SNA are generated and is therefore carried forward into the primary distribution of income account. Value added and GDP may also be measured net by deducting consumption of fixed capital, a figure representing the decline in value during the period of the fixed capital used in a production process ( SNA 2008, 1.17 ).

Production : Economic production may be defined as an activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses inputs of labour, capital, and goods and services to produce outputs of goods or services ( SNA 2008, 6.24. ).

Purpose of a tourism trip (main): The main purpose of a tourism trip is defined as the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place ( IRTS 2008, 3.10. ). Classification of tourism trips according to the main purpose refers to nine categories: this typology allows the identification of different subsets of visitors (business visitors, transit visitors, etc.) See also destination of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 3.14 ).

Quality of a tourism destination : Quality of a tourism destination is the result of a process which implies the satisfaction of all tourism product and service needs, requirements and expectations of the consumer at an acceptable price, in conformity with mutually accepted contractual conditions and the implicit underlying factors such as safety and security, hygiene, accessibility, communication, infrastructure and public amenities and services. It also involves aspects of ethics, transparency and respect towards the human, natural and cultural environment. Quality, as one of the key drivers of tourism competitiveness, is also a professional tool for organizational, operational and perception purposes for tourism suppliers.

Questionnaire and Questionnaire design : Questionnaire is a group or sequence of questions designed to elicit information on a subject, or sequence of subjects, from a reporting unit or from another producer of official statistics. Questionnaire design is the design (text, order, and conditions for skipping) of the questions used to obtain the data needed for the survey.

Reference period : The period of time or point in time to which the measured observation is intended to refer.

Relevance : The degree to which statistics meet current and potential users' needs.

Reliability : Closeness of the initial estimated value to the subsequent estimated value.

Reporting unit : Unit that supplies the data for a given survey instance, like a questionnaire or interview. Reporting units may, or may not, be the same as the observation unit.

Residents/non-residents : The residents of a country are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located in its economic territory. For a country, the non-residents are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located outside its economic territory.

Response and non-response : Response and non-response to various elements of a survey entail potential errors.

Response error : Response errors may be defined as those arising from the interviewing process. Such errors may be due to a number of circumstances, such as inadequate concepts or questions; inadequate training; interviewer failures; respondent failures.

Rural tourism : Rural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle / culture, angling and sightseeing. Rural tourism activities take place in non-urban (rural) areas with the following characteristics:

  • Low population density;
  • Landscape and land-use dominated by agriculture and forestry; and
  • Traditional social structure and lifestyle

Same-day visitor (or excursionist): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Sample : A subset of a frame where elements are selected based on a process with a known probability of selection.

Sample survey : A survey which is carried out using a sampling method.

Sampling error : That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.

Satellite accounts : There are two types of satellite accounts, serving two different functions. The first type, sometimes called an internal satellite, takes the full set of accounting rules and conventions of the SNA but focuses on a particular aspect of interest by moving away from the standard classifications and hierarchies. Examples are tourism, coffee production and environmental protection expenditure. The second type, called an external satellite, may add non-economic data or vary some of the accounting conventions or both. It is a particularly suitable way to explore new areas in a research context. An example may be the role of volunteer labour in the economy ( SNA 2008, 29.85 ).

SDMX, Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange : Set of technical standards and content-oriented guidelines, together with an IT architecture and tools, to be used for the efficient exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata (SDMX).

Seasonal adjustment : Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique to remove the effects of seasonal calendar influences on a series. Seasonal effects usually reflect the influence of the seasons themselves, either directly or through production series related to them, or social conventions. Other types of calendar variation occur as a result of influences such as number of days in the calendar period, the accounting or recording practices adopted or the incidence of moving holidays.

Self-employment job : Self-employment jobs are those jobs where remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits (or the potential of profits) derived from the goods or services produced.

Self-employed with paid employees : Self-employed with paid employees are classified as employers.

Self-employed without employees : Self-employed without employees are classified as own-account workers.

Services : Services are the result of a production activity that changes the conditions of the consuming units, or facilitates the exchange of products or financial assets. They cannot be traded separately from their production. By the time their production is completed, they must have been provided to the consumers ( SNA 2008, 6.17 ).

Social transfers in kind : A special case of transfers in kind is that of social transfers in kind. These consist of goods and services provided by general government and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISHs) that are delivered to individual households. Health and education services are the prime examples. Rather than provide a specified amount of money to be used to purchase medical and educational services, the services are often provided in kind to make sure that the need for the services is met. (Sometimes the recipient purchases the service and is reimbursed by the insurance or assistance scheme. Such a transaction is still treated as being in kind because the recipient is merely acting as the agent of the insurance scheme) (SNA 2008, 3.83).

Sports tourism : Sports tourism is a type of tourism activity which refers to the travel experience of the tourist who either observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting event generally involving commercial and non-commercial activities of a competitive nature.

Standard classification : Classifications that follow prescribed rules and are generally recommended and accepted.

Statistical error : The unknown difference between the retained value and the true value.

Statistical indicator : A data element that represents statistical data for a specified time, place, and other characteristics, and is corrected for at least one dimension (usually size) to allow for meaningful comparisons.

Statistical metadata : Data about statistical data.

Statistical unit : Entity about which information is sought and about which statistics are compiled. Statistical units may be identifiable legal or physical entities or statistical constructs.

Survey : An investigation about the characteristics of a given population by means of collecting data from a sample of that population and estimating their characteristics through the systematic use of statistical methodology.

System of National Accounts : The System of National Accounts (SNA) is the internationally agreed standard set of recommendations on how to compile measures of economic activity in accordance with strict accounting conventions based on economic principles. The recommendations are expressed in terms of a set of concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules that comprise the internationally agreed standard for measuring indicators of economic performance. The accounting framework of the SNA allows economic data to be compiled and presented in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking ( SNA 2008, 1.1 ).

Total tourism internal demand : Total tourism internal demand, is the sum of internal tourism consumption, tourism gross fixed capital formation and tourism collective consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.114 ). It does not include outbound tourism consumption.

Tourism : Tourism refers to the activity of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ).

Tourism characteristic activities : Tourism characteristic activities are the activities that typically produce tourism characteristic products. As the industrial origin of a product (the ISIC industry that produces it) is not a criterion for the aggregation of products within a similar CPC category, there is no strict one-to-one relationship between products and the industries producing them as their principal outputs ( IRTS 2008, 5.11 ).

Tourism characteristic products : Tourism characteristic products are those that satisfy one or both of the following criteria: a) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share total tourism expenditure (share-of-expenditure/demand condition); b) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share of the supply of the product in the economy (share-of-supply condition). This criterion implies that the supply of a tourism characteristic product would cease to exist in meaningful quantity in the absence of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 5.10 ).

Tourism connected products : Their significance within tourism analysis for the economy of reference is recognized although their link to tourism is very limited worldwide. Consequently, lists of such products will be country-specific ( IRTS 2008, 5.12 ).

Tourism consumption : Tourism consumption has the same formal definition as tourism expenditure. Nevertheless, the concept of tourism consumption used in the Tourism Satellite Account goes beyond that of tourism expenditure. Besides the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips, which corresponds to monetary transactions (the focus of tourism expenditure), it also includes services associated with vacation accommodation on own account, tourism social transfers in kind and other imputed consumption. These transactions need to be estimated using sources different from information collected directly from the visitors, such as reports on home exchanges, estimations of rents associated with vacation homes, calculations of financial intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM), etc. ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.25 ).

Tourism destination : A tourism destination is a physical space with or without administrative and/or analytical boundaries in which a visitor can spend an overnight. It is the cluster (co-location) of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism. A destination incorporates various stakeholders and can network to form larger destinations. It is also intangible with its image and identity which may influence its market competitiveness.

Tourism direct gross domestic product : Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP) is the sum of the part of gross value added (at basic prices) generated by all industries in response to internal tourism consumption plus the amount of net taxes on products and imports included within the value of this expenditure at purchasers' prices ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.96 ).

Tourism direct gross value added : Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) is the part of gross value added generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors in response to internal tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.88 ).

Tourism expenditure : Tourism expenditure refers to the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables, for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips. It includes expenditures by visitors themselves, as well as expenses that are paid for or reimbursed by others ( IRTS 2008, 4.2 ).

Tourism industries : The tourism industries comprise all establishments for which the principal activity is a tourism characteristic activity. Tourism industries (also referred to as tourism activities) are the activities that typically producetourism characteristic products. The term tourism industries is equivalent to tourism characteristic activities and the two terms are sometimes used synonymously in the IRTS 2008, 5.10, 5.11 and figure 5.1 .

Tourism product : A tourism product is a combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as natural, cultural and man-made resources, attractions, facilities, services and activities around a specific center of interest which represents the core of the destination marketing mix and creates an overall visitor experience including emotional aspects for the potential customers. A tourism product is priced and sold through distribution channels and it has a life-cycle.

Tourism ratio : For each variable of supply in the Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism ratiois the ratio between the total value of tourism share and total value of the corresponding variable in the Tourism Satellite Account expressed in percentage form ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.56 ). (See also Tourism share).

Tourism Satellite Account : The Tourism Satellite Account is the second international standard on tourism statistics (Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework 2008 –TSA:RMF 2008) that has been developed in order to present economic data relative to tourism within a framework of internal and external consistency with the rest of the statistical system through its link to the System of National Accounts. It is the basic reconciliation framework of tourism statistics. As a statistical tool for the economic accounting of tourism, the TSA can be seen as a set of 10 summary tables, each with their underlying data and representing a different aspect of the economic data relative to tourism: inbound, domestic tourism and outbound tourism expenditure, internal tourism expenditure, production accounts of tourism industries, the Gross Value Added (GVA) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) attributable to tourism demand, employment, investment, government consumption, and non-monetary indicators.

Tourism Satellite Account aggregates : The compilation of the following aggregates, which represent a set of relevant indicators of the size of tourism in an economy is recommended ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.81 ):

  • Internal tourism expenditure;
  • Internal tourism consumption;
  • Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI);
  • Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA);
  • Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP).

Tourism sector : The tourism sector, as contemplated in the TSA, is the cluster of production units in different industries that provide consumption goods and services demanded by visitors. Such industries are called tourism industries because visitor acquisition represents such a significant share of their supply that, in the absence of visitors, their production of these would cease to exist in meaningful quantity.

Tourism share : Tourism share is the share of the corresponding fraction of internal tourism consumption in each component of supply ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.51 ). For each industry, the tourism share of output (in value), is the sum of the tourism share corresponding to each product component of its output ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.55 ). (See also Tourism ratio ).

Tourism single-purpose consumer durable goods : Tourism single-purpose consumer durables is a specific category of consumer durable goods that include durable goods that are used exclusively, or almost exclusively, by individuals while on tourism trips ( TSA:RMF 2008 , 2.41 and Annex 5 ).

Tourism trip : Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.29 ).

Tourist (or overnight visitor): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Tourism value chain : The tourism value chain is the sequence of primary and support activities which are strategically fundamental for the performance of the tourism sector. Linked processes such as policy making and integrated planning, product development and packaging, promotion and marketing, distribution and sales and destination operations and services are the key primary activities of the tourism value chain. Support activities involve transport and infrastructure, human resource development, technology and systems development and other complementary goods and services which may not be related to core tourism businesses but have a high impact on the value of tourism.

Travel / traveller : Travel refers to the activity of travellers. A traveller is someone who moves between different geographic locations, for any purpose and any duration ( IRTS 2008, 2.4 ). The visitor is a particular type of traveller and consequently tourism is a subset of travel.

Travel group : A travel group is made up of individuals or travel parties travelling together: examples are people travelling on the same package tour or youngsters attending a summer camp ( IRTS 2008, 3.5 ).

Travel item (in balance of payments): Travel is an item of the goods and services account of the balance of payments: travel credits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from an economy by non-residents during visits to that economy. Travel debits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from other economies by residents during visits to other economies ( BPM6, 10.86 ).

Travel party : A travel party is defined as visitors travelling together on a trip and whose expenditures are pooled ( IRTS 2008, 3.2 ).

Trip : A trip refers to the travel by a person from the time of departure from his/her usual residence until he/she returns: it thus refers to a round trip. Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips.

Urban/city tourism : Urban/city tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in an urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agricultural based economy such as administration, manufacturing, trade and services and by being nodal points of transport. Urban/city destinations offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business.

Usual environment: The usual environment of an individual, a key concept in tourism, is defined as the geographical area (though not necessarily a contiguous one) within which an individual conducts his/her regular life routines ( IRTS 2008, 2.21 ).

Usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.16 to 2.18).

Vacation home : A vacation home (sometimes also designated as a holiday home) is a secondary dwelling that is visited by the members of the household mostly for purposes of recreation, vacation or any other form of leisure ( IRTS 2008, 2.27 ).

Valuables : Valuables are produced goods of considerable value that are not used primarily for purposes of production or consumption but are held as stores of value over time ( SNA 2008, 10.13 ).

Visit : A trip is made up of visits to different places.The term "tourism visit" refers to a stay in a place visited during a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.7 and 2.33 ).

Visitor : A visitor is a traveller taking a trip to a main destination outside his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the country or place visited ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ). A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Wellness tourism : Wellness tourism is a type of tourism activity which aims to improve and balance all of the main domains of human life including physical, mental, emotional, occupational, intellectual and spiritual. The primary motivation for the wellness tourist is to engage in preventive, proactive, lifestyle-enhancing activities such as fitness, healthy eating, relaxation, pampering and healing treatments.

COMMENTS

  1. About Us

    About Us. The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UN Tourism promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental ...

  2. About UN Tourism

    As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UN Tourism promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide. UN Tourism encourages the implementation of the Global Code ...

  3. UN Tourism

    UN Tourism (UNWTO until 2023) is a specialized agency of the United Nations which promotes responsible, sustainable and universally-accessible tourism.Its headquarters are in Madrid, Spain.Other offices include: a Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific in Nara, Japan and a Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.. UN Tourism serves as a global forum for tourism ...

  4. UN Tourism

    According to the first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year, international tourism ended 2023 at 88% of pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 1.3 billion international arrivals. The multi-dimensional nature of the tourism sector, combined with the dynamics of the source of investment capital presents a complex picture for understanding ...

  5. International Tourism Highlights

    As such, international tourism can generate a tourism trade surplus when receipts exceed expenditure, or a deficit (vice versa) in the travel balance of countries. In 2019, the United States of America had the world's largest travel surplus with USD 62 billion, resulting from tourism receipts of USD 214 billion and expenditure of USD 152 billion.

  6. International Tourism Highlights

    France, the Russian Federation and Australia showed the highest growth in spending. Europe accounts for almost 1 in 2 trips in the world China remains the world's largest spender, with one fifth of international tourism spending, followed by the United States. Africa 3%. Not specified 3%. Middle East 3%.

  7. United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

    Promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism including maritime, coastal and inland water tourism Lead Organization/Partners : United Nations World Tourism Organization ...

  8. ABOUT UN TOURISM

    UN Tourism generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world. UN Tourism's membership includes 160 Member States, 6 ...

  9. UNWTO Tourism Highlights

    International tourist arrivals grew 7.0% in 2017, the highest increase since the 2009 global economic crisis and well above UNWTO's long-term forecast of 3.8% per year for the period 2010 to 2020. A total of 1,326 million international tourist arrivals were recorded in destinations around the world, some 86 million more than in 2016.

  10. What is international tourism and why is it important?

    Here are a few facts about the economic importance of the tourism industry globally: The tourism economy represents 5 percent of world GDP. Tourism contributes to 6-7 percent of total employment. International tourism ranks fourth (after fuels, chemicals and automotive products) in global exports.

  11. Why Tourism?

    The contribution of tourism to economic well-being depends on the quality and the ‎revenues of the tourism offer. UN Tourism assists destinations in their sustainable ‎positioning in ever more complex national and international markets. As the UN agency ‎dedicated to tourism, UN Tourism points out that particularly developing countries ...

  12. What is UNWTO along with Function, Objectives, Aims, Role & Importance

    The UNWTO stand for United Nations World Tourism Organization. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for promoting sustainable and responsible tourism worldwide. It serves as a global forum for governments, tourism organizations, and other stakeholders to discuss and coordinate policies and initiatives related to ...

  13. International Tourism & Travel Organizations

    An international tourism organization is an organization created to further the interests of the tourism industry and to bring together the various businesses involved in the industry. The ...

  14. Important global organizations in Tourism and Hospitality

    International Travel, Tourism and Hospitality organizations play a major role in advancing the development through the interests of the industry. They provide forums for discussions of common issues, lobby for industry causes, especially those which promote the industry's interests, and allow members from different parts of the world to ...

  15. 2023 Edition International Tourism Highlights

    6 International Tourism ighlights - 2023 Edition (Revised and updated, October 2023) • International tourism experienced a 13% increase in 2021 to reach 458 million arrivals, 51 million more than in 2020, but still 69% less than the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 (1,464 million). • Export revenues from international tourism also

  16. International Organizations: Definitions, Types, Functions and

    International organizations, also known as international intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), are groups or associations that are made up of multiple countries and are formed to achieve specific goals or to address common issues. These organizations can be formal or informal, and they can be established through treaties or agreements between ...

  17. The 3 types of travel and tourism organisations

    Types of travel and tourism organisations: To conclude. As you can see, there are many different types of travel and tourism organisations. These range from large to small and from profit-making to non-for-profit. There are three main types of travelled tourism organisations, which are private, public and voluntary.

  18. Outcome Document and Chair's Summary of 2023 G20 Tourism Ministerial

    Outcome Document and Chair's Summary of 2023 G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting. Facebook Twitter Linkedin ... download. PDF 502.02 KB. Advancing social justice, promoting decent work ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations. International Labour Organization. 4 route des Morillons. CH-1211 Geneva 22. Switzerland. Follow us on.

  19. International Tourism: A Global Perspective (English version)

    International Tourism: A Global Perspective (English version) Author: WTO. Published: 1997 Pages: 406. eISBN: 978-92-844-0231-1. Abstract: This textbook has not only been designed to meet the needs of students in tourism, but also to serve as a useful reference for both the private and public sectors involved in tourism.

  20. ‎UV STUDIO: Historical incidents in Indian ...

    Nitin Shastri, the guest, is a Historian at heart and a Tourism Mentor by profession. A thorough Scholar of History, Nitin Shastri has been associated with a number of Research Organizations. Delivering a number of Lectures about India's History, he also has an excellent understanding of International Relations.

  21. The UN Tourism Data Dashboard

    International Tourism and COVID-19. Export revenues from international tourism dropped 62% in 2020 and 59% in 2021, versus 2019 (real terms) and then rebounded in 2022, remaining 34% below pre-pandemic levels. The total loss in export revenues from tourism amounts to USD 2.6 trillion for that three-year period. Go to Dashboard.

  22. Smart City Index 2024: Zurich, Oslo top list of world's smartest ...

    Food, Travel and Tech New report: Top 10 destinations for international travel in 2023 Life 10 most-sustainable U.S. cities—they're almost all on the West Coast

  23. UNWTO Tourism Definitions

    A tourism destination is a physical space with or without administrative and/or analytical 14 boundaries in which a visitor can spend an. overnight. It is the cluster (co-location) of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism.

  24. Grüner Veltliner white wine could be the toast of Pennsylvania, study

    In findings published in International Journal of Wine Business Research, they report that a wine grape cultivar called Grüner Veltliner could bring recognition to the Keystone State and attract ...

  25. Tourism Statistics

    Tourism Statistics. Get the latest and most up-to-date tourism statistics for all the countries and regions around the world. Data on inbound, domestic and outbound tourism is available, as well as on tourism industries, employment and complementary indicators. All statistical tables available are displayed and can be accessed individually.

  26. Glossary of tourism terms

    Purpose of a tourism trip (main): The main purpose of a tourism trip is defined as the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place (IRTS 2008, 3.10.). Classification of tourism trips according to the main purpose refers to nine categories: this typology allows the identification of different subsets of visitors (business ...