UNWTO 7th Tourism Forum for Parliamentarians and Local Authorities Kicks off in Mexico

Participants were welcomed to the Forum by the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico, Ms. Gloria Guevara, who underlined that, “tourism has come to constitute not just an option for entertainment, but also for culture, business or solidarity for many of the world’s societies. This has required states and their governments to define policies that create the necessary conditions for its development.” “It is necessary to create a culture around tourism which involves society in a spirit of tolerance and respect for all cultural expressions,” added Secretary Guevara.
 
“The potential of tourism cannot be fully realized without strong, forward-looking national public policies supported and endorsed by parliamentarians and local authorities,” said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General at the opening session of the Forum. “Meeting here today, at the kind invitation of the Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, the Government of the State of Jalisco and the City of Puerto Vallarta, we have the chance to better understand how to maximize tourism’s contribution to economic growth, job creation and development for the benefit of all.”
 
The Forum will debate major issues currently facing the sector, exploring the lessons learned from the recent economic crisis and demonstrating how, with strong national public policies on tourism and a cohesive private sector, tourism can be instrumental in stimulating sustainable global economic growth.
 
This is the seventh edition of the Forum, with the last edition convened in Cebu, Philippines in 2008. The meetings allow parliamentarians and local authorities to better define their role in the promotion and development of tourism, while providing a platform for fostering public-private partnerships.