[Photo/China National Tourism Administration]

2. 21st UNWTO General Assembly held in Columbia

The 21st UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) General Assembly was held on Sept 14 in Medellin, Colombia. Nine hundred representatives and 70 ministers and state secretaries attended the conference.

UNWTO, which has 156 member countries, six territories, two permanent observers and over 450 affiliate members, is a specialized agency of the UN that aims to promote the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It serves a central role as a global forum for tourism policy issues as well as tourism information.

China will host the next World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in Chengdu in 2017, a decision made by the 21st UNWTO General Assembly.