TEHRAN - Iran’s deputy tourism minister has said the Islamic Republic will be a member of two “influential” committees at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), IRNA reported.

“The World Tourism Organization approved Iran’s membership at two of its influential committees which are tasked for education, and regulatory mandates for the affiliate members,” Vali Teymouri added.

The official made the remarks at a press conference in which he outlined achievements of his attendance at the 112th session of the executive council of the World Tourism Organization held in Georgia last week.

“As an advisory working group, the education committee is planned to provide consultation with the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization and its Executive Council on training and human resource development issues. Any document or any work that needs to be done in the field of tourism education will be presented to this committee before being decided to be executed,” Teymouri explained.

He stated that this committee is one of the specialized and influential committees at the UNWTO which is composed of (a select of) member states.

“Educational topics, titles of training courses and scholarships that the World Tourism Organization awards to its members, virtually or in person, are discussed and decided in that committee.”

One of the reasons behind Iran’s membership being approved at the committee for the regulatory mandates for the affiliate members was that the Islamic Republic has so far introduced 17 companies and entities to be affiliated with the UN body, Teymouri explained.

Teymouri represented the Islamic Republic at the three-day event, which also discussed rural tourism and ways to empower local communities through generating jobs and sustainable development as well as practical actions to realize the scheme of the previously-declared “Accessible Tourism Destination”.

In his latest massage regarding the impact on the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, Pololikashvili has said “If tourism brings us together, then travel restrictions keep us apart.” He added “Tourism needs to thrive, and this means that travel restrictions must be eased or lifted in a timely and responsible manner. It also means that policy decisions need to be coordinated across borders to face up to a challenge that does not care about borders! ‘COVID-19 and Transforming Tourism’ is a further element in the roadmap for the sector to regain its unique status as a source of hope and opportunity for all.”

It is noteworthy that during the 111th session of the council, the members had approved that the next meeting would be held in the first semester of 2020 in Georgia. However, the exceptional international situation due to the coronavirus outbreak forced the secretariat, in consultation with the chair of the council, to postpone the 112th session of the Executive Council to the second semester of 2020.

AFM/MG