Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General Ad Interim,UNWTO calls upon tourism sector to speak in one voice at ITB Berlin 2010

The opening ceremony of ITB Berlin 2010, which began  yesterday in Berlin, Germany and will continue till the 14th of this month, was addressed by Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General Ad Interim, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). Speaking on the ocassion, Rifai called upon the tourism sector to work together to ensure that global policies are  supportive of the sustainable growth of tourism and position travel and tourism as one industry speaking in one voice.  

The return of growth to international tourism in the last quarter of 2009 and the first results from January 2010 suggest that recuperation is underway. In this framework, UNWTO forecast a growth of three-four per cent in international tourist arrivals for 2010.
 
Rifai said, “Though there are positive signs emerging from the global economy, we all recognise that recovery is still weak, uneven, easily reversible and that many downside risks remain. It is therefore important to devise ways for tourism to be well positioned in any new economic cycle.”