UN Tourism

COVID-19

Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism stood at an all-time high with 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals in 2019, according to the organization's World Tourism Barometer. Against a backdrop of heightened uncertainty, UN Tourism convened the Global Tourism Crisis Committee to guide the tourism sector as it faced the COVID-19 challenge. The global tourism sector was estimated to have lost over US$600 billion under the best-case COVID-19 scenario and over US$1.9 trillion in the worst-case scenario. Following a 72% drop in international arrivals in 2020, travel recovered and attained pre-pandemic levels in 2024.

Members

Nonmembers are: Australia, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Guyana, Iceland, Ireland, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tonga, Tuvalu, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Seventeen state members have withdrawn from the organization for different periods in the past including Australia (citing poor value for money), Bahamas (later rejoined), Bahrain (rejoined in 2001), Belgium, Canada (Canada withdrew from the World Tourism Organization when it appointed Robert Mugabe as a leader in 2013), Costa Rica (rejoined in 1995), El Salvador (rejoined in 1993), Grenada, Honduras (rejoined in 2001), Kuwait (rejoined in 2003), Latvia, Malaysia (rejoined in 1991), Myanmar (rejoined in 2012), Panama (rejoined in 1996), Philippines (rejoined in 1991), Qatar (rejoined in 2002), Thailand (rejoined in 1996), United Kingdom and Puerto Rico (as an associate member). The Netherlands Antilles was an associate member before its dissolution.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) rejoined the organization in May 2013, 26 years after having left UN Tourism.

Additionally, UN Tourism has over 500 affiliate members, including non-governmental entities with specialised interests in tourism, and commercial and non-commercial bodies and associations with activities related to the aims of UN Tourism or falling within its competence.

On 2 April 2022, Russia announced it would leave UN Tourism, and the organization subsequently voted the same day to suspend Russia in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Secretaries-General

thumb|[[Shaikha Al Nuaimi]], Secretary-General designate of UN Tourism

As the host country of UN Tourism's headquarters, Spain has a permanent seat on the Executive Council. Representatives of the associate members and affiliate members participate in Executive Council meetings as observers.

Publications

• World Tourism Barometer (quarterly)
• International Tourism Highlights (annual)
• UNWTO Annual Report
• UNWTO Declarations
• Knowledge Network Issues Paper Series

Tourism Data Dashboard

UN Tourism releases its Tourism Data Dashboard which "provides statistics and insights on key indicators for inbound and outbound tourism at the global, regional and national levels. Data covers tourist arrivals, tourism share of exports and contribution to GDP, source markets, seasonality and accommodation (data on number of rooms, guest and nights)."

Visa Openness Report

UN Tourism research concluded that, by improving visa processes and entry formalities, G20 economies could boost their international tourist numbers by 122 million, tourism exports by US$2016 billion and employment by 5 million.

The Organization's latest UN Tourism Visa Openness Report, published in 2016, shows the highest ever percentage of international tourists not requiring a visa to travel - 39% compared with 23% in 2008. The report concluded that the 30 countries whose citizens were least affected by visa restrictions in 2015 were (based on the data compiled by the UN Tourism, based on information from national official institutions):

Ambassadors

Sports

• Didier Drogba - Football player
• Leo Messi - Football player
• Andrés Iniesta - Football player

Gastronomy and Wine

• Gino Sorbillo - Chef
• Ramón Freixa - Chef

Business Leaders

• Michael Frenzel - Businessman
• Adam Goldstein - Businessman

Arts and Culture

• Giorgio Armani - Clothing designer
• Plácido Domingo - Opera singer

References

References

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6. (23 January 2024). "UNWTO Becomes "UN Tourism" to Mark A New Era for Global Sector". UN Tourism.
7. Škare, Marinko. (2021-02-01). "Impact of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry". Technological Forecasting and Social Change.
8. (21 January 2025). "International tourism recovers pre-pandemic levels in 2024". UN Tourism.
9. "Who we are | World Tourism Organization UNWTO".
10. "Member States".
11. "Spanish Visa Experts".
12. territories or groups of territories not responsible for their external relations but whose membership is approved by the state assuming responsibility for their external relations.
13. (2013-05-08). "The United Arab Emirates joins the World Tourism Organization".
14. (Apr 27, 2022). "UN tourism body chief says Russia quitting the organization".
15. (2017-05-12). "UNWTO Executive Council recommends Zurab Pololikashvili for Secretary-General for the period 2018-2021".
16. Nissani, Lubna. (2025-05-31). "Emirati Sheikha Nasser Al-Noueis is the first woman to head the United Nations World Tourism Organization.".
17. "Executive Council".
18. "The UN Tourism Data Dashboard".
19. (2012). "The Impact of Visa Facilitation on Job Creation in the G20 Economies: Report prepared for the 4th T20 Ministers' Meeting, Mexico, 15–16 May 2012". UNWTO and WTTC.
20. (2016). "Visa openness report 2015".
21. "Visa Openness Report 2016". World Tourism Organization.