international organizations in tourism

• Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)
• Member States in Asia and the Pacific
• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OBSERVATORIES (INSTO)

ABOUT UN TOURISM

UN Tourism’s (formerly UNWTO) leadership vision acknowledges the most pressing challenges facing tourism and identifies the sector’s ability to overcome them and to drive wider positive change, including the opportunities responsible tourism offers for the advancement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UN Tourism’s members have endorsed the Management Vision of the Secretary-General which seeks to position tourism as a policy priority, lead in knowledge creation, enhance the Organization’s capacity through building new and stronger partnerships, and offer better value for existing Members while also expanding membership.

To realize the Management’s Vision, UN Tourism’s work is based around five distinct pillars:

• making tourism smarter through celebrating innovation and leading the digital transformation of the sector
• making tourism more competitive at every level through promoting investment and promoting entrepreneurship
• creating more and better jobs and providing relevant training
• building resilience and promoting safe and seamless travel;
• harnessing tourism’s unique potential to protect cultural and natural heritage and to support communities both economically and socially.

As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO (now, UN TOURISM) promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

UN Tourism encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development worldwide.

UN Tourism generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.

UN Tourism’s membership includes 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members and over 500 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

source： https://www.unwto.org/who-we-are

OUR MANAGEMENT

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili took office in January 2018. Seeking to optimize the efficiency of the Organization, the Secretary-General has introduced a new leadership structure consisting of a Deputy Secretary-General and two Executive Directors, each one overseeing key structural areas and departments of the Organization, for increased efficiency in achieving UNWTO’s goals, including adding value to members, increasing membership and serving the tourism sector as a whole.

The management team works towards a comprehensive vision for development of the tourism sector. This includes positioning tourism as a policy priority, establishing thought leadership in knowledge and policy creation, increasing resources and strengthening UNWTO’s capacity through meaningful partnerships.

Source: https://www.unwto.org/management

※Each bar directs you to the UN Tourism headquarters website

Regional Support Office in Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)

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United nations world tourism organization (unwto).

Activity Start date ongoing:  Ongoing Activity End date ongoing:  Ongoing Activity:  UNWTO takes charge of the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. UNWTOpromotes the value of tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmentalsustainability, and offers leadership and support in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.Recognizing the UNWTO’s role in promoting the potential of tourism in fighting poverty and achieving the SDGs,the UN General Assembly declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development(IY2017) and as of July 2017, UNWTO features on the DAC/OECD’s list of development assistance organizations.Tourism is included in SDG 14: ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources forsustainable development’ (besides the SDG 8: ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth,full and productive employment and decent work for all and SDG 12: ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production’).Nevertheless, given its cross-cutting nature, it can advance on all 17 SDGs.• In recent years, several capacity-building activities have been carried out by UNWTO and its member states(on a bilateral or regional level) and also with the support of some of the UNWTO Sustainable TourismObservatories in various coastal countries. An example of such a successful project could be the COASTproject (http://www.un.org/depts/los/nippon/documents/Non_recurrent_e_publication_Oceans_final.pdf).• UNWTO pays special attention also to the situation of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and to theirchallenges related to the development of a sustainable tourism.• Given the importance attached by UNWTO to the maritime, coastal and inland water tourism, upon theproposal of the Committee on Tourism and Competitiveness, the 22nd General Assembly adopted in China, inSeptember 2017 the definition of “Maritime, coastal and inland water tourism”. The adopted definitions areavailable on this page: http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/ctc_definitions_en_web.pdf. Objectives:  Promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism including maritime, coastal and inland water tourism Lead Organization/Partners :  United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Scope of Activity:  Global Websites:  http://www.un.org/depts/los/nippon/documents/Non_recurrent_e_publication_Oceans_final.pdf http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/ctc_definitions_en_web.pdf Activity Start date:  Ongoing Activity End date:  Ongoing Submitted By:  Relevant Stakeholder Relevant Stakeholder:  United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism

#sdgaction39883.

• Description
• SDGs & Targets
• SDG 14 targets covered
• Deliverables & timeline
• Resources mobilized
• Progress reports

A key objective of the Global Partnership is to provide guidance for developing sustainable tourism projects, promote sharing of best practices and encourage reporting of demonstrable results. To this end, the Global Partnership serves as a clearinghouse for sustainable tourism projects.

This is done by:

Networking - to support our partners and tourism stakeholders globally in sharing experiences, successes and resources to accomplish the mission.

Sustainable tourism projects and proposals - The Global Partnership provides technical assistance to countries and advice to partners in the development and implementation of sustainable tourism projects. This is the core service. The sustainable tourism project screening tool, a web-based service that screens submitted projects against criteria developed for each of the 7 priority themes screens:

1. Policy Frameworks & Governance 2. Climate Change 3. Environment & Biodiversity 4. Poverty Alleviation 5. Cultural and Natural Heritage 6. Private Sector Sustainability Practices 7. Integration of Sustainability into Finance & Investment

Research & Knowledge: access to research, guidelines, tools and reports from UN agencies, international organizations and academic institutions provide industry solutions and support monitoring and measurement of sustainability outcomes.

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Catalina Etcheverry, Consultant, UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics

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The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide. 

UNWTO’s membership includes 156 countries, 6 Associate Members and over 400 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

Important global organizations in Tourism and Hospitality

International Travel, Tourism and Hospitality organizations play a major role in advancing the development through the interests of the industry. They provide forums for discussions of common issues, lobby for industry causes, especially those which promote the industry’s interests, and allow members from different parts of the world to network and learn from one another. Nearly all organizations are involved in doing research, providing marketing services and training schemes that are most cost effective when done jointly under an umbrella organization.

• United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive developmentandenvironmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

The UNWTO encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for

Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development worldwide.

1.1 Functioning of UNWTO.

The Secretariat is led by Secretary-General Taleb Rifai of Jordan, who supervises about 110 full-time staff at UNWTO’s Madrid Headquarters. The General Assembly is the principal gathering of the World Tourism Organization. It meets every two years to approve the budget and programme of work and to debate topics of vital importance to the tourism sector.  The UNWTO has six regional commissions-Africa, the Americas,

East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia.    The Executive Council is UNWTO’s governing board, responsible for ensuring that the Organization carries out its work and adheres to its budget.   As host country of UNWTO´s Headquarters, Spain has a permanent seat on the Executive Council.   

Specialized committees of UNWTO Members advise on management and programme content. These include: the Programme and Budget Committee, the Committee on Statistics and the Ttourism Satellite Account, the Committee on Tourism and Competitiveness, the Committee on Tourism and Sustainability, the World

Committee on Tourism Ethics and the Committee for the Review of Applications for Affiliate Membership. 

• World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).  

 The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) was formed in 1991 by a group of Travel & Tourism CEOs to study the sector’s contribution to economies and job creation.  WTTC is the only global body that brings together all major players in the Travel & Tourism sector (airlines, hotels, cruise, car rental, travel agencies, tour operators, GDS, and technology), enabling them to speak with One Voice to governments and international bodies. 

The WTTC uses empirical evidence to promote awareness of Travel & Tourism’s economic contribution; to expand markets in harmony with the environment; and to reduce barriers to growth. It is important that WTTC has the broadest geographical representation and includes all aspects of the sector, including organizations that provide vital services to Travel & Tourism. With Chief Executives of over 140 of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism companies as its members, the WTTC has a unique mandate and overview on all matters related to Travel & Tourism. 

The body advocates partnership between the public and private sectors, delivering results that match the needs of economies, local and regional authorities, and local communities, with those of business, based on: Governments recognizing Travel & Tourism as a top priority business balancing economics with people, culture and environment a shared pursuit of long-term growth and prosperity.

2.1 Research of WTTC.

• Policy Research .  A range of other research projects focused on issues impacting the Travel & Tourism sector, related to the three strategic priorities of Freedom to Travel, Policies for Growth, and Tourism for Tomorrow.  
• International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 265 airlines or 83% of total air traffic.  IATA was founded in Havana, Cuba, on 19 April 1945. It is the prime platform for inter-airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical air services for the benefit of the world’s consumers. The international scheduled air transport industry is more than 100 times larger than it was in 1945.  IATA is led by Alexandre de Juniac, Director General & CEO since September 2016.

At its founding, IATA had 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in Europe and North America. Today it has some 265 members from 117 nations in every part of the globe. The IATA is the successor to the International Air Traffic Association, founded in

The Hague in 1919 – the year of the world’s first international scheduled services.  In April 2017, IATA celebrated 72 years of flying.   

• With over 60 offices worldwide, IATA maintains relationships with governments and other industry stakeholders around the world, advocating on behalf of its members on key industry issues
• Vision. To be the force for value creation and innovation driving a safe, secure and profitable air transport industry that sustainably connects and enriches our world.
• Mission. IATA’s mission is to represent, lead, and serve the airline industry.
• Representing the Airline Industry.

The IATA improves understanding of the air transport industry among decision makers and increases awareness of the benefits that aviation brings to national and global economies. Advocating for the interests of airlines across the globe and stopping unreasonable rules and charges, holding regulators and governments to account, and striving for sensible regulation are four important activities. 

  IATA helps airlines to operate safely, securely, efficiently, and economically under clearly defined rules. Professional support is provided to all industry stakeholders with a wide range of products and expert services.

• IATA Members.

From 57 founding members in 1945, IATA now represents some 265 airlines in over 117 countries. Carrying 83% of the world’s air traffic, IATA members include the world’s leading passenger and cargo airlines. IATA membership is open to airlines operating scheduled and non-scheduled air services that maintain an IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registration.

• IATA Airline Membership Benefits.

Increasing Communication.

• The IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit bring together representatives from leading international airlines
• IATA helps members gain influence with the travel agent community through the IATA Agency Program  

Providing Key Commercial Services & Training.

• IATA programs help to strengthen the capabilities of aviation industry professionals
• IATA members can receive discounts up to 30% on a number of IATA publications
• International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a UN specialized agency, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

ICAO works with the Convention’s 191 Member States and industry groups to reach consensus on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and policies in support of a safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector. These SARPs and policies are used by ICAO Member States to ensure that their local civil aviation operations and regulations conform to global norms, which in turn permits more than 100,000 daily flights in aviation’s global network to operate safely and reliably in every region of the world.

In addition to its core work resolving consensus-driven international SARPs and policies among its Member States and industry, and among many other priorities and programmes, ICAO also coordinates assistance and capacity building for States in support of numerous aviation development objectives; produces global plans to coordinate multilateral strategic progress for safety and air navigation; monitors and reports on numerous air transport sector performance metrics; and audits States’ civil aviation oversight capabilities in the areas of safety and security.

• Vision. Achieve the sustainable growth of the global civil aviation system.
• Mission. To serve as the global forum of States for international civil aviation.  ICAO develops policies and Standards, undertakes compliance audits, performs studies and analyses, provides assistance and builds aviation capacity through many other activities and the cooperation of its Member States and stakeholders.
• How ICAO Develops Standards.

The establishment and maintenance of international Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), as well as Procedures for Air Navigation (PANS), are fundamental tenets of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) and a core aspect of ICAO’s mission and role.

SARPs and PANS are critical to ICAO Member States and other stakeholders, given that they provide the fundamental basis for harmonized global aviation safety and efficiency in the air and on the ground, the worldwide standardization of functional and performance requirements of air navigation facilities and services, and the orderly development of air transport.

The development of SARPs and PANS follows a structured, transparent and multi-staged process – often known as the ICAO “amendment process” or “standardsmaking process” – involving a number of technical and non-technical bodies which are either within the Organization or closely associated with ICAO.

Typically, it takes approximately two years for an initial proposal for a new or improved Standard, Recommended Practice or procedure to be formally adopted or approved for inclusion in an Annex or PANS. Occasionally, this timescale can be expanded or compressed depending on the nature and priority of the proposal under consideration.

• United Federations of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA).

In the 1960s at the dawn of mass tourism, a few tourism professionals with great foresight saw the need of a global umbrella organization for the travel agency industry. By merger of Fédération internationale des agencies de voyages (FIAV) and Universal Organization of Travel Agents’ Associations (UOTAA), the Universal Federation of Travel Agents ‘Associations (UFTAA) was formed on November 22nd 1966 in Rome. Its first President was an Italian, Giuliano Magnoni, later followed by 24 leading personalities from all parts of the world. The federation was later renamed United Federation of Travel Agents´ Associations, still known under the same well-established acronym UFTAA.

As a globally recognized body UFTAA is the longest established negotiating partner with the leading travel and tourism organizations in the world. Of a special importance is the close co-operation with IATA, representing the interest of individual travel agents and as a partner in the IATA-UFTAA Training Programme. Two other organizations with close relationship are the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) and the International Road Union (IRU). Also in areas which are more distanced from the daily worries of travel agents has UFTAA actively been and still is a spokes-person for the agent´s interest. Particularly worth mentioning are the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) through its Affiliate Member Programme and at various occasions the World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA) and many more. The high-level contacts have enable UFTAA to assist national associations in their contacts with authorities and also to help individual agencies.

Through its history UFTAA has been a faithful, active and neutral advocate for all associations and independent travel agencies, irrespective of size and location. In the competitive environment of today a neutral umbrella organization like UFTAA is needed more than ever before to defend and promote the interests of travel agencies in their professional work on behalf and for the travelling consumers.

UFTAA gets ready to celebrate its 50 years of successful contribution to the Travel & Tourism Industry. UFTAA offers to its membership the valuable opportunity to be involved with UFTAA’s networking global platform in order to support good health of travel and tourism industry. UFTAA encourages associations; organizations; institutions and individual member agencies in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality industry to get connected via UFTAA. 

5.1 Mission.

UFTAA’s mission is to be an international forum where matters affecting the world travel industry are addressed, representing and defending the interests of incoming and outgoing tour operators, travel and tourism agencies before the governmental bodies, suppliers and other entities of international scope. It also aims at strengthening its members’ image and enhances the world travel and tourism industry and a sustainable tourism.

5.2 Functions of UFTAA.

To comply with its mission, the Confederation develops the following functions:

• To unite and consolidate the Federations of Travel Agents’ National Associations and to globally enhance the   interests of their members      
• To represent the travel agents’ activities before various world-wide bodies, governmental authorities and suppliers 
• To work towards the adoption of measures that will ease travel for the consumer and to offer services to its member federations 
• To offer, as a voluntary mechanism, an arbitration service which assists in solving conflicts resulting from commercial relations for which amicable settlement cannot be reached   
• To organize a world congress of travel agents and other meetings necessary to the exchange and transmission of knowledge.
• International and Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA).

January 1869, 45 Hotelmen met together in Koblenz at Hotel Trier, Germany and decide to create an Alliance between them under the name of All Hotelmen Alliance (AHA) to defend their interest, and they start to grow and get organized. Hotels were from different standards.

April 1921 various Local European, African, Latin, American hotels association met together and decide to merge into a new international Association and it becomes International Hotels Alliance (IHA). 

November 1947, after the end of the second world war and the creation of the United Nations, Hoteliers from International Hotels Alliance met together with The European Aubergistes association and the Asian Innkeepers Association and decide to merge into a large International Association to defend the Private sector worldwide from

Governments, Public sectors, Military etc…and create International Hotels Association (IHA) in London.

The IH&RA is the only international trade association exclusively devoted to promoting and defending the interests of the hotel and restaurant industry worldwide. It is a non-profit organization and is officially recognized by the United Nations. IH&RA monitors and lobbies all international agencies on behalf of the hospitality industry

6.1  Who are its Members?

• International, National and Regional Hotel and/or Restaurant Associations
• International and National Hotel and/or Restaurant Chains 
• Owners, Developers and Investors
• Individual Hotels and Restaurants
• Institutions of the Industry (hotel schools, educational centers, universities)
• Students / Independent Hoteliers and Restaurateurs

6.2  What Does IH&RA Do?

• Monitor issues that are raised by major international organizations involved in tourism.
• Represent the collective industry interests before policy makers.
• Lobby for better recognition of the hospitality industry worldwide.
• Lobby against damaging or costly attempts to regulate the industry.
• Create Global Councils around industry issues to debate positions & create solutions.
• Listen to its members to ensure that all issues are addressed.
• Plan a series of informative Council and Board meetings and an annual Congress.
• Provide support where requested to lend weight to local and regional issue.

6.3  Advocacy

As the only international trade association devoted to protecting the interests of the global hospitality industry, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association’s role is to monitor, research, and where possible, preempt the passage of regulation and taxation at the international level when this is deemed to run contrary to industry interests. The representation work involved in doing this is termed “advocacy” , i.e. advocating or defending the interests of a specific sector before public (and sometimes private) sector decision-making bodies.

Why to Undertake Advocacy?

The Travel & Tourism explosion of the last three decades has focused government attention on the hospitality sector as never before, bringing in its wake a surge of new regulation and taxation. Although laws are enacted at national level, they frequently have their genesis in international agencies (principally those of the United Nations) which have seen their role and mandate expand exponentially in recent decades.

As a result advocacy (or lobbying) to promote and defend the hospitality industry’s interests has been repeatedly stressed by Chain and National Association Chief Executives within IH&RA as the activity that constitutes their major expectation of membership. As a membership-driven association and the “voice of the industry”, IH&RA must be vigilantly proactive in protecting the global interests of the hospitality industry it represents. To do this, it is essential to monitor research and even more importantly, forecast the issues of concern and importance to its members and the industry at large

• Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for profit association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organizations, comprising 95 governments, state and city tourism bodies, 29 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 63 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond.

Since 1951 PATA has led from the front as the leading voice and authority on travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region

• PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC) offers unrivalled data and insights including Asia Pacific inbound and outbound statistics, analyses and forecasts as well as in-depth reports on strategic tourism markets
• PATA’s events create millions of dollars of new business each year for its members
• The PATA Foundation contributes to the sustainable and responsible development of travel and tourism in Asia Pacific through the protection of the environment, the conservation of heritage and support for education.

7.1  PATA Chapters.

PATA Chapters are established throughout the world to assist in the fulfillment of the objectives of the Association. They are local community organizations of travel industry professionals who join in a co-operative Endeavour – within the framework of PATA – to develop travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific area. There are 40 PATA Chapters around the world that make valuable contributions to local travel industry communities.

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International Tourism Organisations

• Post last modified: 19 January 2023
• Reading time: 26 mins read
• Post category: Uncategorized

Today, the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses many of the lucrative industries like oil exports, food products or automobiles. Tourism has become one of the key players in international commerce and represents at the same time one of the main income sources for many developing countries like India. This growth goes hand in hand with an increasing diversification and competition amongst the domestic as well as international destinations.

Table of Content

• 1.1 International Air Transport Association (IATA)
• 1.2 United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA)
• 1.3 American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
• 1.4 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
• 1.5 World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
• 1.6 International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

This global spread of tourism in industrialised and developed states has produced economic and employment benefits in many related sectors – from construction to agriculture or telecommunications.

The contribution of tourism to the economic well–being depends on the quality and the revenues of the tourism offer. The tourism organisations assist destinations in their sustainable positioning in ever more complex national and international markets. The tourism organisations work on a national as well as international basis.

The important international tourism organisations are:

International Air Transport Association (IATA)

United federation of travel agents associations (uftaa), american society of travel agents (asta), pacific asia travel association (pata), world tourism organisation (unwto), international civil aviation organisation (icao).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organisation is also headquartered.

IATA’s mission is to represent, lead and serve the airline industry.

Currently, IATA is present in over 150 countries covered through 101 offices around the globe.

IATA was formed on 19 April 1945, in Havana, Cuba. It is the successor to the International Air Traffic Association, founded in The Hague (Netherlands) in 1919, the year of the world’s first international scheduled services. At its founding, IATA had 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in Europe and North America. Today it has about 230 members from more than 140 nations in every part of the world and represents 93% of scheduled international air traffic.

IATA’s stated mission is to represent, lead and serve the airline industry. All the Airline rules and regulations are defined by IATA. The main aim of IATA is to provide safe and secure transportation to its passengers.

The main objective of the organization is to assist airline companies to achieve lawful competition and uniformity in prices.

For fare calculations, IATA has divided the world in three regions:

• South and North America
• Europe, Middle East and Africa: IATA Europe includes the geographical Europe and the countries Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
• Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the islands of the Pacific Ocean

These areas are called as traffic conference areas and abbreviated as TC1, TC2 and TC3 respectively. IATA assigns 3–letter IATA Airport Codes and 2–letter IATA Airline Designators, which are commonly used worldwide.

The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA) emanates from the Universal Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations created in Rome, Italy, on November 22nd, 1966. UFTAA was originally founded as a result of a merger of two large world organisations, FIAV and UOTAA, recognising the need to unify travel agencies and tour–operators into one international federation.

In 1989, coming from Brussels (Belgium) UFTAA set up its General Secretariat in the Principality of Monaco (a microstate in Europe).

UFTAA started its operation as a Confederation on January 1st, 2003. It is a non–profit Confederation of international scope, representing Regional Federations comprising some 80 national associations.

UFTAA is a world body representing the travel agency and tourism industry. UFTAA effectively represents Travel Agents and Tour Operators’ views on both Inbound and Outbound travel by continuous dialogue and consultation with other international organisations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH & RA), the International Union of Railways (IUR), the International Road Union (IRU) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

UFTAA has consultative status with the UN/NGO/ECOSOC and works closely with other world bodies such as UNESCO, WHO etc. for sustainable and responsible tourism. UFTAA is an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and its Business Council (WTOBC).

UFTAA’s mission is to be an international forum where matters affecting the world travel industry are addressed, representing and defending the interests of incoming and outgoing tour operators, travel and tourism agencies before the governmental bodies, suppliers and other entities of international scope. It also aims at strengthening its members’ image and enhancing the world travel and tourism industry and a sustainable tourism.

To comply with its mission, the Confederation develops the following functions:

• To unite and consolidate the Federations of Travel Agents’ National Associations and to globally enhance the interests of their members
• To represent the travel agents’ activities before various world–wide bodies, governmental authorities and suppliers
• To work towards the adoption of measures that will ease travel for the consumer and to offer services to its member federations
• To be an investigation and information centre supporting the member Federations’ work and to offer information for technological development
• To offer, as a voluntary mechanism, an arbitration service which assists in solving conflicts resulting from commercial relations for which amicable settlement cannot be reached
• To organise a world congress of travel agents and other meetings necessary to the exchange and transmission of knowledge

About UFTAA Members and Membership

Affiliates or Partners: These categories include individual travel agencies, hotels, tourist offices and, generally speaking, the stakeholders of the tourism and travel industry.

Members: This category includes the national or regional associations of travel and/or tourism.

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is a business improvement organisation which represents and defends the business and regulatory public policy interests of travel intermediaries including travel agencies (including traditional “brick and mortar” agencies, online portals, mega– and corporate agencies and small and mid-market businesses) and tour providers (including wholesalers and operators).

The headquarters are in Alexandria, Virginia state, (USA). Its members include travel agents, intermediaries and supplier companies who offer travel products and services such as tours, cruises, hotels, destinations, tourist bureaus, ground transport, car rentals, local guides and hosts.

ASTA calls itself the leading advocate for travel agents, the travel industry and the travelling public and has over 20,000 members in 140 countries. It is governed by a 15– member US-based Board of Directors drawn from members eligible to vote.

Most members are based in the USA. Voting members are only US-domiciled Travel Agent Members and Premium Members. According to ASTA bylaws (last revised in August 2009), ASTA has eight membership categories:

• Travel Agent Members
• International Travel Agency Company
• International Travel Professional
• Travel School
• Allied Company (product, service and information suppliers to travel agencies)
• Allied Associate

Aim and objectives of ASTA, India are as follow

• Increase membership to ASTA International by creating awareness of ASTA’ International’s activities, like trade shows, road shows, destination expo, IDE’s etc.
• Encourage International members to become ASTA India Chapter members by highlighting the benefits like attending the Road Shows, Destination Expos and the business opportunities that it brings along with it.
• Educate the Indian membership on the various segments of travel market in the US and allow them the opportunity to explore a segment that they specialise in.
• Educate the Travel Agents in the US on Incredible India and its potential in the different segments of the market.
• Organise seminars and invite specialists as guest speakers.
• Maintain relations with Indian Tourism authorities and keep them updated on the ASTA International and ASTA India initiatives.
• Maintain a continuous line of communication with newsletters, destination and product updates and circulate it amongst ASTA International and ASTA India membership.
• Keep ASTA India members updated on the happenings in the US Political, Economic scenario and the American Travel Market in general.
• Organise FAM Trips for ASTA International agents to India.
• Meet regularly amongst ASTA India Membership and exchange views and have a guest speaker.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a membership association acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. In partnership with PATA’s private and public sector members, we enhance the sustainable growth, value and quality of travel and tourism to, from and within the region.

On Tuesday, January 15, 1952, it was officially announced that 25 active and 12 allied members had signed the constitution and bylaws of what was now known as the Pacific Interim Travel Association (PITA). PITA was legally incorporated in the state of Hawaii two months later.

In its first year, PITA also worked with governments to ease entry and exit requirements for foreigners, seeing success in Japan, the US and the Philippines. By the second conference in March 1953 (held in Hawaii like the first) PITA had increased its membership from 33 active and allied members to 49. It was also at this conference that it was decided to change the association’s name to the ‘Pacific Area Travel Association’ – or PATA.

Even with the clarity of vision that hindsight provides, it would be difficult to imagine a better time to have started the Pacific Interim Travel Association* than that chosen by the organisers and 91 delegates to the First Pacific Area Travel Conference in 1952. They had displayed an uncanny sense of timing in addressing an issue whose time had come, which, in the largest sense, was developing travel to the Pacific region.

By the early 1950s, those who had an interest in the region were facing a tremendous range of opportunities. In 1952, commercial use of the jet airplane was still several years away and so was the explosion in Pacific travel that would occur in the 1960s. However, the Pacific Area Travel Conference of 1952 began to lay the essential foundation for the boom years to follow.

Fast forward to the present and travel and tourism is viewed by many notable economists to be one of the great growth industries of the 21st century. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)’s advantage is that it continues to influence the direction the industry takes through its unique membership structure of public–sector tourism organisations; air, land and sea carriers; and organisations engaged in the production, distribution, financing, consulting, educating and other technical aspects of the travel industry.

The theme “Proud Past, Promising Future” was adopted for the 50th PATA Annual Conference in 2001, during which members reflected on their Association’s achievements. PATA has unquestionably contributed to the sustainable development and success of travel and tourism in both the Pacific and Asia; has become the leader of Asia Pacific travel and tourism. The story of PATA is the story of the Association’s dedicated people – its members, officers, board and staff.

2004 saw PATA change its Mission Statement to include tourism ‘to, from and within’ Asia Pacific, thereby recognising the importance of the region as a growing outbound market. In 2010, PATA launched the Travel Intelligence Graphic Architecture (TIGA) initiative to enable better decision making by tourism professionals.

Anyone from the following sector can be a member of PATA.

• Cruise Line
• Destination Management Company
• Event Venue
• Government (Tourism Organisation)
• Hotel Chain/Hospitality Management Company
• Individual Hotel property
• On–line Travel Business

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings. The World Tourism Organisation is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information on international tourism. This organisation represents public sector tourism bodies, from most countries in the world and the publication of its data makes possible comparisons of the flow and growth of tourism on a global scale.

The World Tourism Organisation plays a role in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the interests of developing countries.

The Organisation encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with a view to ensuring that member countries, tourist destinations and businesses maximise the positive economic, social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimising its negative social and environmental impacts.

UNWTO is committed to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, geared toward reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development.

council and the UN agreed to establish the WTO as a specialised agency of the UN. The significance of this collaboration would lie in “the increased visibility it gives the WTO and the recognition that will be accorded to. Tourism will be considered on an equal footing with other major activities of human society.

As of 2010, its membership included 154 member states, seven associate members, two observers.

15 of these members have withdrawn from the organisation for different periods in the past

• El Salvador
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico

Additionally, there are some 350 affiliate members, representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

Aims and objectives of WTO

• Promotional development of tourism
• International understanding, peace, prosperity and human rights
• Fundamental freedom of all without distinction to race, caste, sex, language or religion.

To attain this aim, the organisation shall pay particular tension to the interest of the developing countries in the field of tourism. The organisation shall establish and maintain effective collaborations with appropriate organs of UN and other agencies.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a specialised agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. Its headquarters are located at Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The ICAO should not be confused with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade organisation for airlines also headquartered in Montreal, or with the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), an organisation for Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP’s) with its headquarters at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands.

The forerunner to the ICAO was the International Commission for Air Navigation (ICAN).

• It held its first convention in 1903 in Berlin, Germany but no agreements were reached amongst the eight countries that attended.
• At the second convention in 1906, also held in Berlin, 27 countries attended.
• The third convention, held in London, United Kingdom in 1912 allocated the first radio call signs for use by aircraft.

The ICAN existed until 1945, when the Provisional International Civil Aviation Organisation (PICAO) was established. The PICAO became the ICAO in 1947.

CAO members are 189 of the United Nations members and the Cook Islands. The non–member states are Dominica, Liechtenstein, Niue, Tuvalu, Vatican City and the states with limited recognition.

The ICAO also standardises certain functions for use in the airline industry, such as the Aeronautical Message Handling System AMHS; this probably makes it a standards organisation.

The ICAO defines an International Standard Atmosphere (also known as ICAO Standard Atmosphere), a model of the standard variation of pressure, temperature, density and viscosity with altitude in the Earth’s atmosphere. This is useful in calibrating instruments and designing aircraft.

The ICAO standardises machine–readable passports worldwide. Such passports have an area where some of the information otherwise written in textual form is written as strings of alphanumeric characters, printed in a manner suitable for optical character recognition. This enables border controllers and other law enforcement agents to process such passports quickly, without having to input the information manually into a computer.

ICAO publishes Doc 9303, Machine Readable Travel Documents, and the technical standard for machine-readable passports. A more recent standard is for biometric passports. These contain biometrics to authenticate the identity of travellers.

The passport’s critical information is stored on a tiny RFID computer chip, much like information stored on smartcards. Like some smartcards, the passport book design calls for an embedded contactless chip that is able to hold digital signature data to ensure the integrity of the passport and the biometric data.

Communication, Navigation, Surveillance /Air Traffic Management (CNS/ ATM) systems are communications, navigation and surveillance systems, employing digital technologies, including satellite systems together with various levels of automation, applied in support of a seamless global air traffic management system.

The ICAO airport code or location indicator is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. Following are the examples of commonly used ICAO codes

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Travel and Tourism Industry: Associations & Organizations

• Industry Research
• Private Equity, Venture Capital and Deals
• Consumer and Demographic Research
• Associations & Organizations
• Country Reports
• Google Scholar

Travel and Tourism

• World Tourism Organization "The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism."
• World Travel & Tourism Council Country-specific research and statistics, benchmarking and economic impact, operations and management research from the WTTC
• United States Office of Travel and Tourism Industries Tourism policy, statistics on inbound and outbound US travel, research including programs in international air travel, monthly statistics sets. Most of the publications are free.
• U.S. Travel Association The US professional association offers news, statistics, travel price indices, research on US and international travel

Airlines and Airports

• Department of Transportation - Airline and Airport Statistics Links to statistics sets available from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, including: airline financial, traffic and related data, and other per carrier fare, flight and passenger information.
• IATA Business Intelligence and Statistics The International Air Transport Association offers data on airline safety, traffic and passenger historical and forecast data. The industry association also offers selected data from the World Air Transport Statistics Yearbook.
• IATA Economics IATA's Economics data include monthly analyses on air passengers, freight and premium traffic, and periodic industry economic and business confidence reports on the commercial airline industry.
• Airlines for America - Data and statistics National industry organization provides additional data and information regarding the economic, social and security issues affecting the airline industry. The annual Industry Review and Outlook is a great overview of the US industry.

Best of the Rest

• American Hotel & Lodging Association Some free research in the reports section such as: 2016 Wage Watch Survey, U.S. Small Business Hotel Study, U.S. Conference of Mayors Tourism, Hotel and Lodging Survey.
• American Society of Travel Agents Limited free resources, best to make own guest account to see the free white papers and news.
• Cruise Lines International Association Frequent free "State of the Industry" reports, cruise trends, and travel agent outlooks.
• Hospitality.net List of agencies, trade associations and organizations that deal with the hospitality industry
• STR Global List of Industry Organizations List of industry organizations compiled by STR Global that work within the hospitality industry.
• << Previous: Consumer and Demographic Research
• Next: Country Reports >>
• Last Updated: Mar 18, 2024 3:38 PM
• URL: https://kresgeguides.bus.umich.edu/travel

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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A United Vision for Nature - 'Nature Positive' Report Marks New Collaborative Era in Travel & Tourism

• All Regions
• 22 Apr 2024

WTTC, UN Tourism and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance join forces to support Nature Positive Tourism

The leading players of Travel & Tourism globally have published a landmark joint report setting out their joint plan to help halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Launched on Earth Day 2024, "Nature Positive Travel & Tourism in Action" is the creation of the high-level 'Nature Positive Tourism Partnership, made up of the World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ), the World Tourism Organization ( UN Tourism ) and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance ( the Alliance ).

For years, UN Tourism has been at the forefront of integrating tourism into the broader UN biodiversity agenda, including supporting the work of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Developed in collaboration with specialist consultancy ANIMONDIAL, the report is the sector's pledge to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the UN's Biodiversity Plan.

It presents more than 30 case studies of inspiring and progressive actions from around the world involving large and small businesses, national and local government agencies, civil society groups, and inter-sectoral partnerships.

By offering actionable guidance and insights, this report not only highlights the intrinsic link between biodiversity and tourism's resilience, but also empowers businesses to become stewards of nature.

Historic partnership for nature

Ms. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO , said: "This historic partnership with Travel & Tourism heavyweights is a significant step in our collective journey towards a more sustainable and responsible sector. This report is not merely a publication but a movement towards integrating environmental stewardship into the core of travel experiences. As we celebrate Earth Day, let us heed the call to nurture and protect our destinations. Our sector's reliance on nature, coupled with our expertise in creating inspiring and memorable experiences, means we are ideally placed to be guardians of nature."

Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism , said: "For years, UN Tourism has been at the forefront of integrating tourism into the broader UN biodiversity agenda, including supporting the work of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This pivotal new collaboration among key global players sets a robust framework for sustainable practices that not only drive significant impact but also exemplify the power of united efforts in conserving biodiversity. This report is a testimony to what we can achieve together for nature's preservation, inspiring a global movement towards more sustainable and resilient tourism."

Mr. Glenn Mandziuk, Sustainable Hotel Alliance CEO , said: "This report is a milestone for Travel and Tourism, representing our commitment as an industry to protect and conserve nature. The Alliance is proud to contribute to and collaborate on this insightful and action-orientated report which will bring tangible change to destinations around the world, supporting biodiversity.  Nature underpins our society, economies and indeed our very existence. The hospitality industry is today a leader amongst industries in its Nature Positive approach and this report signifies how much our industry understands the true value of nature."  

Expert-led coalition

Recognising that the sector has a critical role to play in protecting and conserving biodiversity, the Nature Positive Tourism approach is designed to be a touchstone for actionable change. It focuses on equipping the sector with the tools and insights needed to nurture and protect destinations upon which it depends.

The commitment of the Partnership to work towards "net positive for nature" draws on extensive consultation with experts from business, government, academia and civil society, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).

The report, which follows the 2022 WTTC report "Nature Positive Travel & Tourism", includes practical frameworks and real-world examples that encourage both travel providers and travellers to embark on journeys that contribute to the conservation of our natural treasures.

Related links

• Download News Release on PDF
• Report “Nature Positive Travel & Tourism”
• UN Tourism Biodiversity
• Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

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