Executive Council - 123rd session

UN Tourism has advanced South-South cooperation in tourism development, putting into action the aims of the Punta Cana Declaration signed by its Member States from Africa and the Americas. Building on the success of the inaugural event, the 2nd UN Tourism Africa & The Americas Summit outlined concrete plans for achieving shared goals, focused on innovation, Technical Cooperation, enhanced connectivity, tourism investments and tourist confidence through security.

UN Tourism and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have set out a shared roadmap for building a resilient, inclusive, and environmentally responsible tourism sector, through sustainable investments.

UN Tourism and the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of Lithuania have agreed on a shared vision for tourism development in the country for the period 2025–2027. In addition to accelerating digital transformation, innovation and investments in the sector, the strengthened partnership will also focus on governance and destination management to ensure the continued growth of Lithuanian tourism.

The leadership of UN Tourism has successfully concluded a high-profile visit to China, reinforcing strategic partnerships and advancing sustainable tourism initiatives across key regions. The visit by Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili featured engagements with senior government officials, industry leaders, and international development agencies, further deepening UN Tourism’s collaboration with China.

In a joint effort to promote sustainable development and cultural diversity, UN Tourism and CAF – Development Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean, have launched the Indigenous Tourism Challenge – Latin America and the Caribbean. This initiative seeks to identify and support innovative tourism projects that highlight the richness of cultural expressions and the relationship with the environment of Indigenous peoples in the region.

UN Tourism has presented its “Tourism Doing Business” guidelines, focused on the opportunities for international investors in Namibia’s burgeoning tourism sector.

UN Tourism has joined the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to shift the mind-sets of destinations and businesses regarding workers and customers with disabilities.

UN Tourism paid tribute to His Excellency Mr. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for his outstanding work in the development and strengthening of the tourism sector during his term as President of the Government of Spain (2004-2011). His leadership was key to guaranteeing the sustained growth of tourism and consolidating Spain as a world leader in the industry.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural edition in Zimbabwe, UN Tourism, the Basque Culinary Center and the United Republic of Tanzania will host the Second Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa in Arusha on 23–25 April 2025. The event is the leading UN Tourism initiative to position gastronomy tourism as a key driver of sustainable and inclusive development across the continent.

The United Nations has taken a major step in recognizing tourism’s role in sustainable development by adopting a new tourism employment indicator as part of the official Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Indicator Framework.