Call for better tourism? air transport policies

The general debate of the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly has put a spotlight on the link between tourism and air transport policies. Delegations from the 120 UNWTO member states intervening at the 20th session of the UNWTO assembly discussed air transport policies in their respective countries and called for measures and initiatives to increased connectivity.

Countries further called for closer collaboration between tourism and air transport policies, states a UNWTO statement. Issues such as visa facilitation, the need to make airports more visitor friendly, taxation, open skies and the impact of low cost airlines were among the issues raised during the debate. The UNWTO has defined connectivity as one of its policy priorities alongside visa facilitation and fair taxation and is working with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on advancing these issues as well as those related to addressing climate change, the modernisation of aviation regulations and the development of convergent rules for traveller and enterprise protection. More than one billion tourists crossed international borders during 2012, over half of who travelled by air to their destinations.

source: the himalayan times,2 Sep 2013