UNWTO to launch ‘Travel Declaration’ in October 2009

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) will soon launch a ‘Travel Declaration’ that will focus on making travel easier. Speaking exclusively with TravelBiz Monitor, Taleb Rifai, Ad Interim Secretary General, UNWTO disclosed, “The Executive Council has approved of the draft Travel Declaration, which will now be placed before the General Assembly for approval in October this year. The Declaration will highlight key issues such as Travel Advisories, Visas and Special Needs/Circumstances.”

The focus on Travel Advisories will entail issues like advisories being clearer like resolutions with an objective, parameters and set time lines. Advisories in many cases have been issued and left unattended to which results in marring the tourism scene of a destination. With regards to Visas, the focus will be more on adopting the electronic format and utilising technology in a big way to make the Visa procurement process less cumbersome.