United Nations World Tourism Organization TOUR

As the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable,
and accessible tourism, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the leading international organization in its field. As such, UNWTO focuses on tourism as a mechanism for economic growth, inclusive development, and environmental sustainability. In particular, UNWTO strives to maximize tourism’s positive socio-economic effects while minimizing potential negative effects as well as maximize tourism’s role in the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to reduce global poverty and encourage sustainable development. UNWTO works towards these goals through market knowledge, policy generation, education, and technical assistance in regions around the world. Similarly, working towards these goals, the UNWTO of MUNUC 33 will address two modern challenges within global tourism.

Topic A addresses the role of sea travel, especially commercial cruises and yachting tourism, in global tourism. As millions cruise or yacht each year, billions of dollars are invested in global and destination economies, particularly the Caribbean and Mediterranean. However, the distribution of economic growth is not necessarily equitable, and cruise ships often exploit international flagging laws to avoid taxes and minimum wages. Furthermore, sea travel has many environmental and cultural concerns, such as ecosystem disruption, marine pollution, and potential loss of local language. Delegates will address existing problems with regard to economic inequities and loopholes, the role of major stakeholders such as corporations, destination governments, and tourists themselves, and the construction of sustainable practices for economic growth and cultural and environmental preservation within sea travel.

Topic B examines the role of cultural tourism and ecotourism in the general tourism sector. These subsectors of tourism are major and growing and have both positive and negative effects on tourism, destination regions, and global environmental and cultural health. Ecotourism supports the regrowth of endangered species and land, research and education advancement, and redirection of economic contributions to local populations and conservation efforts; cultural tourism boosts community pride and economic revenue, cultural literacy, and global perceptions and relations. However, in both subsectors, if improperly managed, we risk the exploitation of local populations, loss of traditional life and at-risk ecosystems, increased waste and culture clashes, and so on. Delegates will discuss how to promote cultural tourism and ecotourism as methods of sustainability, education, and preservation, manage potential risks and opportunities for exploitation and corruption, and establish international parameters around these tourism subsectors.

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