(TAP) – Tunisia has officially submitted its expression of interest for a seat on the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Executive Council, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts René Trabelsi said on Thursday 21st March 2019.
Speaking after a meeting with UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, the minister said the request was welcomed and encouraged for them to advocate for a leadership role on the governing body of the organization.
Mr. Pololikashvili is on official visit in the Maghreb region for the second time, since his election in January 2018 as Secretary General of UNWTO at its 22nd General Assembly.
Securing a seat on the governing body of the organisation will allow Tunisia to contribute on key decisions taken by the organization and help in raising the profile of the country, allow for a closer engagement with other members of the organization. According to Honorable Trabelsi, UNWTO’s support to Tunisia will help improve the performance of the tourism sector in terms of quality of services and ensure a better level of training.
The minister told the Tunisia Agency Press that his meeting with the UNWTO Secretary-General had focused on the best ways to promote Tunisian tourism, recalling that the aim is to attract 9 million tourists.
UNWTO Secretary General was a guest of honor at the opening of the handicrafts fair on March 22, 2019, which was inaugurated by the Head of Government H.E. Youssef Chahed and H.E.René Trabelsi, Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts.
The Secretary General said a co-operation agreement between Tunisia and UNWTO has been established, adding that “Tunisia is one of the tourist destinations with the huge potential in Africa”.
He also said that UNWTO is supporting Tunisia in developing its tourism strategy and programmes, particularly in training, pointing to plans to create an international tourism centre in Tunisia in order to improve the quality of Tunisian tourism and to diversify its product.
