The two-day “Practical Approaches to Strategy and Product Development” event, held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei (5-6 August 2024), brought together rural tourism strategy and product development heads from National Tourism Authority (NTA) and National Tourism Organisations (NTO) across the region.
Nurturing tourism leaders
With a rapidly changing world and growing demand for nature-based activities and rural tourism, skills development is essential. The executive training supports and equips managers with the applied knowledge to develop, implement and measure strategies for rural tourism, and how to create, develop and market tourism products and destinations on a national and international scale. Knowledge and skills in these areas were further enhanced with best practices, case studies and applied exercises as well as practical tools such as matrices, models and indicators.
The training brought together over 33 participants from eight Member States. The two-day event focused on strategic planning, product development, sustainable tourism practices and community-based tourism. The field visit gave participants the opportunity to apply what they learned to real-life situations, reinforcing and deepening their understanding of the training objectives.
Wide-ranging participation and hands-on learning
This training is part of the Tourism for Rural Development Programme and highlights our commitment to strengthening rural development through effective tourism strategies and innovative approaches. Improving the skills of national tourism administrations advances our mission to promote sustainable tourism and support rural communities. Sandra Calvao, Director, Market Intelligence, Policy and Competitiveness, UN Tourism This executive training is an important step in equipping member states in Asia-Pacific with the skills and knowledge they need to develop sustainable and resilient rural tourism strategies. By investing in the capacity of our tourism stakeholders, we are fostering inclusive growth and empowering rural communities across the region. Harry Fan, Director, Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, UN Tourism This training programme exemplifies Brunei Darussalam's commitment, together with UN Tourism, to advancing rural tourism development across the Asia-Pacific region. It underscores our dedication to providing strong support and resources to our member states and to foster sustainable and inclusive growth within our communities. Sarina Saleh, Acting Director, Tourism Development Board, Brunei Darussalam
United Nations Tourism for Rural Development Programme
The United Nations Tourism for Rural Development Programme was designed with the vision of making tourism a driver of rural development and well-being. The programme aims to promote the role of tourism in appreciating and protecting landscapes, knowledge systems, natural and cultural diversity, local values and activities in and around rural areas. The programme also aims to promote innovative and transformative approaches for tourism development in rural areas that contribute to the three pillars of sustainability: economy, society and environment, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In May 2023, the UN Tourism Organization hosted a similar executive training for the Middle East at its Middle East Regional Office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
About United Nations Tourism
The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting responsible, sustainable and accessible tourism for all.
As the leading international organisation in the tourism sector, UN Tourism promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability, and provides leadership and support to the tourism sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies globally.
Our Priorities
Mainstream tourism into the global agenda: Advocate for the value of tourism as a driver of socio-economic growth and development, and for the inclusion of tourism as a priority in national and international policies, and the need to create a level playing field for the tourism sector to develop and thrive.
Promoting Sustainable Tourism Development: Supporting sustainable tourism policies and practices: policies that make optimal use of environmental resources, respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, and deliver socio-economic benefits for all.
Promoting knowledge, education and capacity development: We help countries assess and address their education and training needs, and provide networks for knowledge creation and exchange.
Improving tourism competitiveness: Improve the competitiveness of UN Tourism Member States through promoting excellence in areas such as knowledge creation and exchange, human resource development, policy formulation, statistics and market trends, sustainable tourism development, marketing and promotion, product development, and risk and crisis management.
Promoting tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction and development: Maximize tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction and achieving the SDGs by leveraging tourism as a tool for development and promoting its inclusion in the development agenda.
Building partnerships: Working with the private sector, regional and local tourism organizations, academic and research institutions, civil society and the UN system to build a more sustainable, responsible and competitive tourism sector.
Our Organization
Membership: An intergovernmental organization, UN Tourism has 160 member states, six associate members, two observers, and over 500 affiliated members.
Organs: The General Assembly is the highest organ of the United Nations. The Executive Council, in consultation with the Secretary-General, takes all steps to implement the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and its reports to it.
Secretariat: The UN Tourism Headquarters is located in Madrid, Spain. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General and is divided into divisions dealing with issues such as sustainability, education, tourism trends and marketing, sustainable development, statistics, Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA), destination management, ethics, risk and crisis management. The Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Division implements development projects in over 100 countries around the world, while the Regional Divisions for Africa, America, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East act as a link between UN Tourism and its 160 Member States. The Member States Division represents UN Tourism's more than 500 member states.
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