UN Tourism Spearheads Executive Training on rural Development in Asia and Pacific
As part of its focus on rural development, UN Tourism has concluded an executive training session for sector leaders from across the Asia and the Pacific region.
Held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (5-6 August 2024) the two-day titled ‘Practical Approach to Strategy and Product Development’ event brought together officials responsible for rural tourism strategy and product development from National Tourism Authorities (NTAs) and National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) across the region.
Empowering Tourism Leaders
In a rapidly changing world, and with the growing demand for nature-based activities and tourism in rural areas, skills development is essential. The executive training supports and provides managers with applied knowledge to develop, implement, and measure strategies on rural tourism and how to create, develop, and market tourism products and destinations on a national and international scale. Knowledge and skills in these areas were further enhanced with practical tools including matrices, models, and indicators, in addition to best practices, case studies, and applied exercises.
The training attracted over 33 participants from 8 Member States. The two-day event focused on strategic planning, product development, sustainable tourism practices, and community-based tourism. A field trip provided participants with the opportunity to apply their learning in real-world contexts, reinforcing the training objectives and enhancing their understanding.
Broad Participation and Practical Learning
This training, which is part of our Tourism for Rural Development Programme, underscores our commitment to enhancing rural development through effective tourism strategies and innovative approaches. By upskilling national tourism administrations, we are advancing our mission to foster sustainable tourism and support rural communities. Sandra Carvao, Director, Market Intelligence, Policies and Competitiveness at UN Tourism
This executive training is a vital step in equipping our Member States in the Asia-Pacific region with the necessary skills and knowledge to develop sustainable and resilient rural tourism strategies. By investing in the capacities of our tourism officials, we are fostering inclusive growth and empowering rural communities across the region. Harry Hwang, Director, Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific, UN Tourism
This training programme exemplifies Brunei Darussalam’s commitment, alongside UN Tourism, to advancing rural tourism development across the Asia-Pacific region. It underscores our dedication to providing robust support and resources to Member States, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth within our communities. Salinah Salleh, Acting Director of Tourism Development Department from Brunei Darussalam
UN Tourism for Rural Development Programme
The UN Tourism for Rural Development Programme was designed with the vision of making tourism a driver of rural development and well-being. It aims to advance the role of tourism in valuing and safeguarding rural territories along with their associated landscapes, knowledge systems, natural and cultural diversity, local values, and activities. The Programme also aims to promote innovative and transformative approaches for the development of tourism in rural destinations that contribute to the three pillars of sustainability – economic, social, and environmental – in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In May 2023, UN Tourism hosted a similar executive training for the Middle East in its Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
About UN Tourism
The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UN Tourism promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.
Our Priorities
Mainstreaming tourism in the global agenda: Advocating the value of tourism as a driver of socio-economic growth and development, its inclusion as a priority in national and international policies and the need to create a level playing field for the sector to develop and prosper.
Promoting sustainable tourism development: Supporting sustainable tourism policies and practices: policies which make optimal use of environmental resources, respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities and provide socio-economic benefits for all.
Fostering knowledge, education and capacity building: Supporting countries to assess and address their needs in education and training, as well as providing networks for knowledge creation and exchange.
Improving tourism competitiveness: Improving UN Tourism Members' competitiveness through knowledge creation and exchange, human resources development and the promotion of excellence in areas such as policy planning, statistics and market trends, sustainable tourism development, marketing and promotion, product development and risk and crisis management.
Advancing tourism's contribution to poverty reduction and development: Maximizing the contribution of tourism to poverty reduction and achieving the SDGs by making tourism work as a tool for development and promoting the inclusion of tourism in the development agenda.
Building partnerships: Engaging with the private sector, regional and local tourism organizations, academia and research institutions, civil society and the UN system to build a more sustainable, responsible and competitive tourism sector.
Our Structure
Members: An intergovernmental organization, UN Tourism has 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members, 2 Observers and over 500 Affiliate Members.
Organs: The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Organization. The Executive Council take all measures, in consultation with the Secretary-General, for the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and reports to the Assembly.
Secretariat: UN Tourism headquarters are based in Madrid, Spain. The Secretariat is led by the Secretary-General and organized into departments covering issues such as sustainability, education, tourism trends and marketing, sustainable development, statistics and the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), destination management, ethics and risk and crisis management. The Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Department carries out development projects in over 100 countries worldwide, while the Regional Departments for Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Middle East serve as the link between UN Tourism and its 160 Member States. The Affiliate Members Department represents UN Tourism's 500 plus Affiliate members.
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