Ministry of Tourism Updates
Bahamas selected to prestigious United Nations World Tourism Organization assembly
By Clarence Rolle, MOT
Nov 4, 2011 - 10:44:46 AM

At the 19^th General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) held in Gyeongju, South Korea, 8 – 14 October 2011, The Bahamas was elected Vice Chairman of the Commission for The Americas for the period 2011 – 2013. The Commission for the Americas is the entity which represents some 26 countries in the Americas region and is responsible for collectively articulating the interest of the region to the UNWTO executive body.

The 19^th General Assembly, which is held every two years, was the largest gathering ever with more than 1,000 delegates, including 155 member states and over 400 affiliate members representing both private and public sectors.

The Bahamas was also re-elected to serve another four years representing the Americas region on the Sustainable Tourism Committee. This position was highly contested by many countries in the Americas region due to the UNWTO’s well-known position of not only promoting the sustainable development of tourism but also using their ST-EP program to utilize tourism as a vehicle to alleviate poverty and hunger globally. These are two of the principal objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) set out by the United Nations.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, Mrs. Hyacinth Pratt, headed The Bahamas’ delegation which included Mr. Earlston McPhee, Director for Sustainable Tourism Development Planning. Mrs. Pratt said that “the election of The Bahamas by its peers in the Americas region to these two important offices demonstrates the international respect that our country has been able to demand over the years in tourism development.”

The next General Assembly, scheduled for 2013, will be hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia at nearby Victoria Falls.