Mexico Hosted 94th Session of UNWTO Executive Council

Mexico welcomed the Ministers of Tourism and national representatives who attended the 94th Session of the Executive Council of the United Nations' World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), held on October 24 and 25 in the city of Campeche. The meeting was attended by representatives from more than 50 nations, who analyzed the current state of tourism and aligned strategies to meet their objectives: increased global visitor numbers and job creation.

Mexico's Secretary of Tourism, Gloria Guevara, said that the selection of Mexico as the venue for this important event was an honor for Mexico amongst the UNWTO member countries.

Secretary Guevara noted that amid the global financial crisis, the tourism industry remains a lever of economic development and so the work of the UNWTO in Campeche was to identify mechanisms to boost tourism.

The proceedings of the 94th Session of the Executive Council of the UNWTO were chaired by Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, who has praised the warmth and professionalism of Mexico following international events such as the 4th Meeting of Tourism Ministers (T20) and the World Travel and Tourism Council's 1st Regional Summit of the Americas which took place in Mexico last May.

In securing the opportunity to host this meeting, Mexico competed with countries such as Serbia and Egypt. Representatives from the UNWTO agreed that Campeche was an excellent place to hold the event, because it showcases the attractions and cultural richness of Mexico's Mayan World.

Since October 2011, Mexico has held a place on the Executive Council, which is the highest decision-making body of the UNWTO, which identifies measures necessary for the implementation of decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly.

Mexico's position in the UNWTO will help promote a multi-destination policy in the Americas thereby increasing the number of visitors to the region.