PH Embassy attends 24th UN World Tourism Organization General Assembly in Madrid
Left photo: The Philippines attended the 24th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization in Madrid, Spain. Ambassador to Spain and Permanent Representative to the WTO Philippe J. Lhuillier, led the Philippine delegation. He is flanked by Department of Tourism Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso and Chief of International Relations Division Jaime Victor Bayhonan. Right photo: Ambassador Lhuillier and Usec. Buensuceso received the award of Best Tourism Villages on behalf of Bojo, Cebu.
MADRID, 09 December 2021 – Despite the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the international scene, over 1,000 delegates from more than 110 countries attended the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s 24th General Assembly, which took place on 30 November to 03 December 2021 in Madrid, Spain.
Philippine Ambassador to Madrid and Permanent Representative to the WTO Philippe J. Lhuillier headed the Philippine delegation, along with the Department of Tourism’s Undersecretary and Officer-in-Charge Verna Buensuceso, Chief of International Relations Division Jaime Victor Bayhonan; London Tourism Attache Gerry Panga, and Senior Tourism Operations Officer Jem Turlah. From the Philippine Embassy in Madrid, Deputy Chief of Mission Adrian S. Cruz, First Secretary Carlyn Monastrial, and Attache Karen Caro-Trujillo attended the Assembly and related meetings.
The Assembly placed importance on innovation, education, and rural development, as well as tourism’s role in inclusive growth and the global economic recovery. In support of the UNWTO’s program to push for and promote rural tourism, the Philippines submitted model rural towns that have been observing sustainable tourism. The town of Bojo in Aloguinsan, Cebu was recognized as one the best Tourism Villages for 2021. The award recognizes the “cultural and natural assets that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, products and lifestyle and have a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects – economic, social and environmental.”
The Assembly also allowed for a debate to take place between Ministers and the youth, to strengthen working relations between the UNWTO and the next generation of leaders. The Meeting vowed to work together to aid in the recovery of the tourism sector to contribute to the global economic recovery. END
For more information, visit https://www.madripe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philembassymadrid.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSpain/.