Wider Horizons - Tourism at the Heart of Future Growth

Hosted by UNWTO

The rise of tourism over the past several decades has been one of the most remarkable socioeconomic phenomena of our times. More than a billion people travel the globe every year, mobilizing investment and generating employment. One in every 11 jobs in the world is directly linked to tourism, making it an economic power house fully embraced by the policy strategies of developing and emerging economies alike.

The UN counts tourism among the 10 “change sectors” on the road to the green economy. The G20 believes tourism can contribute to respond to current economic challenges. The media, however, are more likely to portray tourism as a succession of palm-fringed beaches, ancient monuments and spectacular wildlife, as opposed to a sector with the potential to inject skills, capital, employment and opportunity into societies. Sticking to simple stereotypes implicitly conceals the truth by failing to cover tourism from all its relevant angles. It misses the bigger picture. If the media’s role is to inform, and if information can contribute to improving livelihoods, then tourism also needs to be seen based on its undisputed significance as a driver of economic growth, job creation and development. A holistic picture should also include the perspective of those living in tourist destinations.

In this workshop, representatives of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will discuss these issues with participants to provide practical insight into why tourism should matter more on the media agenda. Audience members are invited to debate, engage and network with UNWTO and explore collaboration possibilities for events, specialized field trips and workshops around the world.

Moderation:

Risi, Marcelo
Senior Media Officer, Communications and Publications, United Nations World Tourism Organization, Madrid, Spain

Panelists:

Eberl, Gesa
Anchor, Editor and Reporter, RTL Television and n-tv, Cologne, Germany

Meyer, Michael
Project Manager, Sustainable Development of Tourism Project Office, United Nations World Tourism Organization, Bonn, Germany

Monshausen, Antje
Policy Advisor on Tourism and Development at Bread for the World / Tourism Watch, Berlin, Germany

Complete workshop on soundcloud:

WS43 - Wider Horizons - Tourism at the Heart of Future Growth