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HEAD OF WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION: "NOT EVERY COUNTRY HAS ARMENIA'S MOUNTAINS"
Sona Avagyan
hetq
15:32, October 18, 2012
Taleb Rifai, current Secretary-General of the World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO), spoke to students today at the Yerevan State
University about tomorrow's historic signing of an agreement between
a number of Armenian tourist organizations and his agency.
Mr. Rifai said that he had been on a six month lobbying mission to
get Armenian tour operators, hotels, tourist associations and others
to sign the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in order to maximize
tourism's socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible
negative impacts.
Armenian will be the fourth nation to sign off on the Ethics Code
after France, Italy and Spain.
Mr. Rifai stated that tourists are becoming increasingly particular
about their accommodations and will often not stay in hotels that
leave a negative imprint on the environment.
Turning to Armenia's potential attractiveness to foreign tourists, Mr.
Rifai noted that, "The world is full of beaches. People have grown
tired of them. But not every country has your mountains, cuisine,
music and culture. This makes Armenia unique."
UNWTO's membership includes 155 countries, 7 territories and over
400 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational
institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.
Sona Avagyan
hetq
15:32, October 18, 2012
Taleb Rifai, current Secretary-General of the World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO), spoke to students today at the Yerevan State
University about tomorrow's historic signing of an agreement between
a number of Armenian tourist organizations and his agency.
Mr. Rifai said that he had been on a six month lobbying mission to
get Armenian tour operators, hotels, tourist associations and others
to sign the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in order to maximize
tourism's socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible
negative impacts.
Armenian will be the fourth nation to sign off on the Ethics Code
after France, Italy and Spain.
Mr. Rifai stated that tourists are becoming increasingly particular
about their accommodations and will often not stay in hotels that
leave a negative imprint on the environment.
Turning to Armenia's potential attractiveness to foreign tourists, Mr.
Rifai noted that, "The world is full of beaches. People have grown
tired of them. But not every country has your mountains, cuisine,
music and culture. This makes Armenia unique."
UNWTO's membership includes 155 countries, 7 territories and over
400 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational
institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.