Silk road tourism ministers to meet this week

Top of the list of UNWTO activities which includes Silk Road tour operators forum, child protection, climate-change, cultural heritage

UNWTO events at ITB Travel Trade Show 2013 include the 3rd Silk Road Ministers’ meeting, a session on consumer protection and a meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection, as well as the first UNWTO meeting exclusively dedicated to "Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage", among others (Berlin, Germany, 6-10 March, 2013).

3rd Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting (6 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)

How can destinations join forces to raise the profile of the Silk Road while safeguarding its exceptional heritage sites to be enjoyed by generations to come will be the focus of the third meeting of the Tourism Ministers of the Silk Road.

More information:http:// http://silkroad.unwto.org/en

Presentation of the UNWTO Project on Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency in Pangandaran (Indonesia) (6 March, 13.15 – 14.00, Hall 7.1a, Auditorium New York 1)

Climate change response in the tourism sector needs local action and new thinking. The project "Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran" (STREAM), implemented by UNWTO and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia (MTCE), serves as a case study on how to confront climate change at the local level and create a pilot model to be transferred to other destinations.

2nd Tour Operators’ Forum on the Silk Road (7 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Palais West)

To share knowledge, experience and perspectives on key topics relating to tourism development on the Silk Road is the objective of the second edition of this Forum – a collaborative approach to create a better business environment for growth across the Silk Road.

Seven countries on the Silk Road were recently featured in Pilot Productions’ award-winning travel adventure television series Globetrekker.  Globetrekker is one of the world’s most watched travel programs with an audience of 30 million viewers in 40 countries and celebrity presenters Megan McCormick and Holly Morris took viewers on a journey along the Silk Road as part of "Globetrekker’s Round the World 20th Anniversary Special". This project was organized by Pilot Productions and UNWTO, in collaboration with the Ministries of Tourism of China, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. The two dedicated Silk Road episodes travelled from Xi’an, across Central Asia to Istanbul and were first broadcast in October 2012, with repeated broadcasts throughout 2013. For a preview of these exciting episodes and to learn more about the project, Click HERE

 "Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Winning Partnership" (8 March, 10.00 – 12.00, ICC, Hall 7)

This first UNWTO event focused exclusively on this subject will address how to integrate the living heritage into tourism development while fostering the responsible use of intangible assets to foster sustainable socio-economic development. The event will feature the launch of the UNWTO report on "Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage", followed by a panel presenting case studies and good practices by different tourism stakeholders.

28th Meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection (8 March, 14.00 – 17.30, ICC, Hall 7)

"Information and Communication Technologies: Protection of Children in Tourism", will be at the centre of meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection. The event will feature the participation of a range of actors representing governments, international organizations, the private sector, NGOs and media.

The UNWTO stand is at ITB: 20/127

Valere Tjolle

See amazing new 2012 sustainable tourism report 93% off offer HERE