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2 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue UNWTO World Tourism Barometer 08 Seoul International Fair & Tourism Forum Technical Workshop UNWTO-WTCF City Tourism Performance Research nd Session of UNWTO General Assembly th UNWTO/PATA Forum 24 UNWTO Initiatives Statistics and Tourism Satellite Account 30 Special Report The Tourism Sector and Smart Tourism 33 Destination Report PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic 38 Sustainable Tourism Development Climate Tourism 40 Focus on Tourism Policy Policies for the Sharing Economy in Korea 44 Interview Jung Chang Soo, President, Korea Tourism Organization 48 Expert Column Regional Tourism Competitiveness Model 2017 High-Level Policy Forum on Tourism Development and Knowledge Sharing Seminar 56 News from Affiliate Members Griffith University, Austrailia Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies Chimelong Group 64 News from UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Symposium International Year Booth 1 st Ministerial Round Table at Tourism EXPO Japan 74 Conferences and Meetings 76 Asia Pacific News Brief 78 UNWTO Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific Research

3 UNWTO World Tourism Barometer Destinations worldwide welcomed 901 million international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) between January and August 2017, 56 million more than in the same period of This tourist arrival growth corresponds to a robust 7% increase, well above the growth of previous years. With upbeat prospects for the remaining months of the year, 2017 is set to be the eighth consecutive year of continued solid growth for international tourism. The outcome of this growth reflects the sustained growth of multiple destinations combined with the recovery those suffering from security challenges in recent years. International tourism on track for a record year Demand for international tourism remained strong during the Northern Hemisphere summer peak season. International tourist arrivals in July and August totaled over 300 million for the first time as reported in this issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Experts from around the world surveyed confirmed this strong performance for the UNWTO Confidence Index, who evaluated the May-August period very positively. Prospects for the last four months of 2017 also remain buoyant according to the experts consulted. Tourism is a major economic engine and employment generator, contributing to the improvement of livelihoods of millions of people around the world stated UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai in London, ahead of the World Travel Market. As we draw to the end of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, we must reflect on how to manage tourism responsibly and sustainably beyond Maximizing the social and economic benefits of tourism while minimizing any negative impacts on host communities and the environment should remain at the forefront of our efforts in the years to come, with policy-makers, companies and travelers all contributing to this shared objective, Mr. Rifai added. Inbound tourism: short-term trends 2017 By UNWTO regions, growth was strongest in Africa (+9%) and Europe (+8%), followed by Asia and the Pacific (+6%), the Middle East (+5%) and the Americas (+3%). A total of 142 countries (out of 220) have so far reported data on international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) for at least three and up to nine months for the period January through September Of these, 119 countries (84%) reported an increase in arrivals, with 64 (45%) reporting double-digit growth, while 23 countries (16%) posted a decrease. A total of 134 countries have reported results for at least the first half of 2017, of which 87 through August. Based on this sample, destinations worldwide are estimated to receive 901 million international tourist arrivals between January and August 2017, up 56 million from the 845 million in the same period of The growth in arrivals corresponds to a robust 7% increase compared to the same period last year, well above the growth of 4% to 5% in previous years. Results reflect the sustained growth in many destinations combined with the recovery of those suffering from security challenges in recent years. This positive trend also reflects a strengthening of the global economic recovery, with better prospects for 2017 in many advanced and emerging economies, including the United States, Canada, the Euro area, Japan, the Russian Federation and Brazil, as well as continued strength in emerging Asian economies among which China and India. According to the World Economic Outlook of October 2017 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global output is projected to grow by 3.6% in 2017 and 3.7% in 2018, after 3.2% in Improved economic conditions contribute to higher demand for both international business and leisure travel, which in turn is reflected in international tourist arrivals and receipts in destination countries. 4 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

4 Table 1. International Tourist Arrivals by (Sub)region Monthly / quarterly data series Full year Share Change (percentage change over same period of the previous year) * 2016* 15/14 16*/ * 2016 (Million) (%) (%) YTD Q1 Q2 Apr May Jun Jul Aug Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 World ,094 1,138 1,190 1, Advanced economies¹ Emerging economies¹ By UNWTO regions: Europe Northern Europe Western Europe Central/Eastern Eur Southern/Medit Eur of w hich EU Asia and the Pacific North-East Asia South-East Asia Oceania South Asia Americas North America Caribbean Central America South America Africa North Africa Subsaharan Africa Middle East Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) ¹ Classification based on the International Monetary Fund (IMF), see the Statistical Annex of the IMF World Economic Outlook of April 2016, page 146, at See box at page 'Annex-1' for explanation of abbreviations and signs used (Data as collected by UNWTO October 2017) Table 2. International Tourist Arrivals, Asia and the Pacific (% Change) Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Issue 45 December

5 Results for the Asia and the Pacific Region Asia and the Pacific recorded a 6% increase in international arrivals through August 2017, slightly below the global increase of 7%. South Asia (+10%) led growth in relative terms and South-East Asia (+8%) in absolute terms. Oceania followed with a 7% increase, while North- East Asia recorded a modest 3% increase after strong growth last year. Robust outbound demand from China, the Republic of Korea and Hong Kong (China) fuelled much of the region s growth. Asia s largest sub-region North-East Asia recorded a rather modest 3% increase in January- August 2017, with mixed results across destinations. In Japan (+18%), arrivals are growing by double-digits for the sixth year in a row, driven by strong intraregional demand, particularly from South-East Asian markets. Increased air connectivity and easier visa procedures support this growth. Macao (China) also maintained momentum with arrivals increasing 11% compared to the same period last year. Hong Kong (China) returned to growth and reported 4% more arrivals after a decline in the previous years. By contrast, the Republic of Korea reported a 24% decline in international tourists this period, mostly attributable to fewer arrivals from China and the political tension in the region. Taiwan (province of China) reported a 3% decline. For China, the region s largest destination, data is still pending. For the first eight months of 2017 South Asia (+10%), recorded strong growth, led by India, the subregion s largest destination, which boasted a 15% increase in international arrivals, thanks to improved visa facilitation measures. Nepal reported a remarkable 42% increase this period in a continued recovery after the decline in 2015, following the Gorkha and Kodari earthquakes. The island destination of Maldives recorded a 6% increase in international arrivals. Of the smaller destinations, Bhutan enjoyed 12% more arrivals after seven straight years of double-digit growth. In South-East Asia (+8%), growth in arrivals exceeded the region s average this eight-month period, fuelled by strong demand from North-East Asian source markets. Vietnam (+30%) and Indonesia (+26%) boasted the highest percentage increase in the subregion. Cambodia (+12%) and the Philippines (+11%) also reported doubledigit growth in the first eight months of this year. The sub-regions largest destination Thailand, recorded a 5% increase in arrivals and Singapore 4%. Malaysia (-1%) saw fewer arrivals through May, partly due to weaker demand from Singapore and major long-haul markets. Oceania also enjoyed 7% growth in international arrivals, with Australia and New Zealand (both +7%) driving results this January-August period. Solid demand from Hong Table 3. International Tourist Arrivals, monthly evolution(asia and the Pacific) Table 4. International Tourist Arrivals, monthly evolution (Asia and the pacific) (million) (% change) Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 6 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

6 Kong (China), Malaysia, the United States and the United Kingdom fueled growth in these major destinations. Guam (+2%), the third largest destination in the subregion, posted more modest results after solid growth last year, while the fourth largest Fiji reported a 7% increase. Among the smaller island destinations, the Northern Mariana Islands boasted 32% growth, fuelled by increased flight connections with several Asian cities. Growth in arrivals this period was also driven by a strong outbound demand from major source markets. In particular China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Republic of Korea and Spain continued to report solid growth in outbound expenditure. International tourism receipts of the Asia and the Pacific Region Of the 135 destinations reporting preliminary tourism receipts data for the first three to nine months of 2017, a total of 110 recorded growths in earnings (81%), compared to the same period last year (in local currencies at current prices), of which 59 in double digits (44%), while 25 (19%) posted declines. To a large extent, this indicates that earnings followed the solid trend seen in arrivals. The median increase was 8%. The two remaining destinations in the top 10 reported a declining growth. Hong Kong (China), the world s 10th biggest earner, reported a small 1% decline and China (4th) an 8% decline. Many important destinations beyond the top 10 enjoyed strong growth in receipts in the first eight months of 2017, mostly in line with the trend in arrivals. In Macao (China), receipts grew 18% in a solid rebound after two weaker years. Indonesia posted 17% growth, and India 16%. Singapore also posted a 12% increase in tourism receipts. Among other top performers this period, Japan and the Philippines all reporting growth rates between 7% and 9% in international tourism earnings. International tourism expenditures China, the world s top source market, reported a 19% increase in tourism spending in the first half of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016, reflecting Chinese travelers continued strong demand for international travel. Of the remaining markets in the top 10, the Republic of Korea posted 12% growth in tourism spending, the second highest after China rebounding after flat growth in Hong Kong (China) recorded 5% growth, Australia 3%. Vietnam (+16%) and Indonesia (all +10%) reported doubledigit growth in spending. Taiwan (province of China) reported 7% growth in spending. As in the case of receipts, some of this expenditure data is likely to be revised. Table 5. International Tourism Receipts Table 6. International Tourism Expenditure (% change) (% change, local currencies) Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Issue 45 December

7 Seoul International Fair and Sustainable Tourism Forum 2017 Fair and Sustainable City Agenda: New Urban Tourism Seoul, Korea September 7 th -8 th, 2017 Overall view of the SIFT Forum Introduction In Korea, the capital city, Seoul, welcomes more than ten million visitors a year which exceeds the city s number of residents. With this rapid tourism growth there are challenges and opportunities. Several districts in Seoul have experienced the negative impacts of tourism congestion, and the result has been the closing of local shops and the displacement of local resident s homes. An increasing number of major cities around the world are also facing challenges of tourism congestion, or mass tourism, and are examining the ways it impacts local communities. A broad number of strategies are being considered by major urban destinations to mitigate the effects of mass tourism. For example, Venice, Italy is considering putting in place a cap on tourist numbers to stop overcrowding. Additionally, in 2012 the city of Barcelona, Spain introduced a tourist tax. Last year, Seoul in collaboration with the UNWTO hosted the first Seoul International Fair & Sustainable Tourism Forum in order to present the importance of the topic of sustainable tourism in mega cities. Seoul is one of the first mega cities to raise its voice on sustainable tourism aiming to implement policies towards qualitative growth in urban tourism. Seoul stands at a turning point as it has now become essential to examine and to ensure that our mega city embraces respectful and considerate visitors and that our citizens behave as such in other places around the world as well. The 2 nd SIFT Forum Fair & Sustainable City Agenda: New Urban Tourism Seoul hosted the second Seoul International Fair & Sustainable Tourism Forum on 7-8 September, 2017 under the theme of Fair & Sustainable City Agenda: New Urban Tourism. The event provided a new urban tourism platform 8 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

8 Inter -City Agreement between Seoul and Barcelona During the Meeting as a fair and sustainable city agenda. Especially, this year s event attracted more attention because Seoul and the UNWTO collaborated on Tourism for All: Advancing Universal Accessibility in Urban Destinations, a special session to embrace accessible tourism under the theme of sustainable urban tourism. At the event, Seoul and Barcelona signed an agreement to cooperate and jointly respond to issues related to fair and sustainable tourism. It is worth noting that a new paradigm for sustainable tourism development can create valuable synergies through the cooperation of two major cities in Asia and Europe. Both Seoul and Barcelona also share the vision of sustainable tourism which will be expressed through the Global Fair and Sustainable Tourism Campaign. The launching ceremony of the campaign between Seoul and Barcelona, endorsed by the UNWTO, to celebrate the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development also took place during the opening ceremony of the forum. Moreover, in alliance with the Forum, Seoul Fair & Sustainable Tourism Festivals took place in various districts across Seoul. The largest celebration took place on Seoullo 7017, an overpass transformed into an urban walkway near Seoul Station which opened this year. The festival, consisted of exhibitions, music performances, workshops, and local tours, which aimed to expand and familiarize the term and significance of Fair and Sustainable Tourism to Seoul citizens. The first two sessions: New Urban Tourism The first two sessions were under the theme of New Urban Tourism and presented fair and sustainable city agendas that are in accordance with the United Nation s Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nation s Habitat III: New Urban Agenda 2016 Resolution. The first session focused on challenges and case studies of urban tourism throughout Europe and Asia. Speakers Issue 45 December

9 Group Photo of the Panels and panels included Ernest Cañada, Coordinator of Alba Sud (Spain), Raj Gyawali, Founder & Director of Social Tours (Nepal), Maria Young-sin Lim, Representative of Imagine Peace (Korea). The second session focused on agenda and strategies on urban tourism. Agustí Colom Cabau, Councilor of Enterprise and Tourism of Barcelona City Council explained how Barcelona, the city that has gained its title as one of the most desired destinations in the world, has realized the impacts that tourism has on its citizens and how the city has started to manage the negative impacts. Other panels included Chulwon Kim, Professor of College of Hotel & Tourism Management, Kyunghee University (Korea), Ary Suhandi from INDECON (Indonesia), Changsup Shim, Professor of Department of Tourism Management, Gachon Universiy and Hoon Lee, Professor of Department of Tourism, Hanyang University (Korea). Vogeler, Executive Director for Member Relations, UNWTO, Joseph Kwan, Managing Advisor, UDA Consultants, Rosa Suriñach, Partnership and Communication Specialist, UN- Habitat, and Jae-Jin Park, Head of Integration Department, 2018 Pyeongchang Paralympic Games discussed the socioeconomic benefits of improving accessibility in urban areas and focused on illustrating concrete steps that destinations and companies need to take in order to make accessible tourism a reality within its sector. Conclusion Overall, the Seoul International Fair and Sustainable Tourism forum provided a valuable opportunity to discuss and suggest alternatives for the current and future of urban tourism through the solidarity of the tourism industry, academia, NGOs and international organizations worldwide under the theme of fair and sustainable tourism. A Special Session: Accessible Tourism for All A special session organized in collaboration with UNWTO, highlighted relevant policies and practices of Accessible Tourism for All against the backdrop of the UNWTO s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) and the ever evolving global urban development. Along with Carlos 10 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

10 EXPO Opening Technical Workshop UNWTO-WTCF City Tourism Performance Research Tianjin, China, 2 September 2017 Overview UNWTO successfully held the first of the two Regional Technical Workshops within the context of UNWTO/WTCF City Tourism Performance Research in Tianjin, China on 2, September The workshop highlighted and showcased cases on urban tourism in the region during the occasion of the China Tourism Industries Expo. The event was attended by more than 60 participants from 10 countries and gathered different city representatives and experts involved in the assessment of the success stories of six different urban tourism destinations in the region: Tianjin, Hangzhou, Beijing, Seoul as well as Sapporo and Tokyo. Ulsan Metropolitan City which recently joined UNWTO as an Affiliate Member and Macau (China) also presented their strategies and development goals related to city tourism performance. Ms. Esencan Terzibasoglu, Director of the Program for Destination Management and Quality of the UNWTO, Mr. Yan Han, Deputy Secretary General of the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) as partnering organization and Mr. Yang Shihao, Director General of the Tianjin Tourism Administration addressed the importance of this technical event and underlined the significance of strategic planning to ensure sustainable development and management in urban tourism destinations. The UNWTO presented a compilation of 15 city cases that formed part of the research on the occasion of the 6th Global Summit on Urban Tourism in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (4-6 December 2017). The research was conducted under the leadership of the UNWTO Program for Destination Management and Quality and supported by WTCF. The publication will shortly be available in the UNWTO e-library. All full reports as working papers can be accessed through the initiative s website: Issue 45 December

11 Workshop Audience Workshop Session Workshop 12 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

12 22 nd UNWTO General Assembly The 22 nd UNWTO General Assembly Chengdu, China, September 2017 Overview The 22 nd UNWTO General Assembly kicked off on September 11th with a celebration of China s diverse and cultural richness. Opening Ceremony & Welcome Dinner In his opening speech, UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, said that China is an inspiration to others regarding its supportive tourism policies and in placing tourism at the center of its poverty alleviation and national development strategies. Besides being the fourth most-visited country in the world, with 59 million international arrivals in 2016, China is also the largest domestic tourism market, with 4.4 billion trips made within its borders. The Secretary-General also recalled the relevance of having this General Assembly, the last of his mandate under the framework of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development I feel very proud to have contributed to expanding the capacity of travel and tourism to the progress of the SDGs that guide our common action to This General Assembly is a unique opportunity to continue advancing together, he said. Wang Yang, Vice-Premier of the People s Republic of China, recalled that, since the inclusion of China in UNWTO in 1983, the tourism sector has grown to represent 10% of the country s economy. The Vice-Premier confirmed that smart tourism would guide the development of the sector and highlighted the need to enforce policies to enhance sustainable tourism. The Vice-Premier also mentioned that the inherently sustainable approach to tourism in China resulted from the traditional harmony between man and nature widely present in Chinese culture. Also, he underlined the relevance of increasing cooperation among countries in the field of tourism, especially in crisis situations such as natural disasters. He further noted that 6 million jobs related to tourism had been created in 2016 in China, particularly for women, people with disabilities, and rural communities. Issue 45 December

13 Taleb Rifai, UNWTO, Secretary-General Wang Yang, Vice Premier of the People s Republic of China Chengdu Declaration The UNWTO General Assembly had discussed the Chengdu Regional Forum on Crisis Communication Declaration on Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. The document highlights the potential of the tourism sector and underlines economic, social and political terms, including 19 articles that are recommendations to governments to develop an integrated and holistic approach to tourism policy to leverage the sector s positive impact and multiplying effect on people, planet, and prosperity. In addition, it proposes to undertake national assessments on tourism s contribution and commitment to the SDGs and ensure the inclusion of tourism in interministerial SDG commissions and/or working groups as well as to enhance the contribution of tourism in SDGs national strategies through the set-up of institutional frameworks and mechanisms that allow participation of all stakeholders. To advance, the tourism sector should decouple growth from environmental harm; flight climate change throughout the entire tourism value chain; measure the impacts of travelers every day accurately and regularly, and promote accessibility for all, stated Rifai. Furthermore we need to ensure the benefits of the sector reach communities and prevent negative impacts on their social fabrics by tackling issues such as overcrowding, protecting the weak from being exploited in our sector. We also need to prevent leakages and address global and tourism-sector security challenges without compromising people s rights, particularly the freedom of travel and movement, he added. Conclusion: A united tourism community Unity and cohesion were expressed throughout the 22 nd UNWTO General Assembly. One of the largest displays of these sentiments was in a special meeting organized to discuss how to support those destinations affected by Hurricane Irma and the earthquake in the southern coast of Mexico. The meeting identified three lines of action: (i) supporting the recovery of the affected destinations through the private sector and aid agencies, with special attention given to SMEs due to their lack of means to rebuild and recover; (ii) sharing experiences on resilience and crisis management and; (iii) developing strong and coordinated communication. The group of countries attending the special meeting also agreed to propose that the General Assembly adopted a special resolution expressing solidarity and support to the affected destinations and called for the support of the international community. The General Assembly also appointed the next Secretary- General for Zurab Pololikashvili, the current Ambassador of Georgia to Spain, Morocco, Algeria, and Andorra, was proposed by the UNWTO Executive Council last May and appointed by consensus by all Member States convened at the 22 nd General Assembly. 14 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

14 Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific CAP Overview The 52 nd Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific (CAP) was held in Chengdu, China on 11 September 2017 within the framework of UNWTO's 22nd General Assembly. The meeting attendees included a delegation from 21 Member States, Affiliate Members and representatives from the Regional Support Office and they participated in organizing the 22 nd Session of the General Assembly and was chaired by China. The main issue for this Commission meeting was based primarily on preparations for the General Assembly. The Provisional Agenda consisted of ten items and by the document CAP/52/Prov.Agenda, nominations, and elections to General Assembly offices and the Executive Council s subsidiary organs were mainly discussed during the meeting. Nominations and Elections to General Assembly Offices and the Executive Council s Subsidiary Organs According to the agenda item number 4, the nominations of candidates to the 22 nd General Assembly offices were conducted. According to the rule 16(3) of its Rules of Procedure, the General Assembly was called upon to elect its Vice Presidents by equitable geographical distribution, making allowance for the region represented by the President. Therefore, no post-vice President was nominated for the regional representative during the General Assembly following the tradition of nominating as President, the head of the delegation of the host country. The Commission for East Asia and the Pacific also elected one Vice Chair and two Vice-Chairs for a term of two years commencing from the 22 nd Session of the General Assembly. Indonesia was elected as Chair and Japan and Vanuatu were both elected as Vice-Chairs. This Chairmanship of the Commission will be in effect from 2017 to Overall CAP Room Photo Issue 45 December

15 CAP-CSA Joint Meeting and the UNWTO Regional Forum on Crisis Communication in May Director Xu Jing briefly introduced two main objectives of the conference and thanked Bangladesh and the other Member States for successfully hosting and supporting the events and participating in regional activities. Chair of CAP Meeting Participants of CAP UNWTO Regional Forum on Crisis Communication The UNWTO Regional Forum on Crisis Communication was organized in response to members request for communication strategies in times of crisis. It was prompted by the on-going geopolitical tensions, terrorist attacks, human-made or natural disasters, fluctuations in fuel prices and health scares in various parts of the world which have become recurrent issues of great concern leaving the world at large in a constant state of uncertainty. The result of the nominations and elections are as below: 1) Nomination of candidates to the 22 nd General Assembly Vice-President: N/A Credentials Committee: Malaysia 2) Nomination of the region on the Executive Council and its subsidiary Organs Committee for the review of applications for affiliate membership ( ): Thailand Ad-hoc Committee for the preparation of the final draft Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics: Indonesia, China, Japan, Philippines, Samoa and Macao, China 3) Election of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Commission for Chair: Indonesia Vice-Chair: Japan and Vanuatu Review and Preview of the Regional Activities After the nominations and elections, Mr. Xu Jing, the Regional Program Director for Asia and Pacific, briefly introduced the past major activities conducted since the 29 th The primary objective of the Forum was thus to equip member States in the region and all other stakeholders with the requisite crisis response tools in preparation for unexpected contingencies and crisis situations which can affect travel and tourism in their respective destinations. Other conferences are below: - The 6 th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism - The Asia-Pacific Tourism Marketing Evaluation Workshop - The Second International Rural Tourism Conference Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for South Asia CSA Following the close of the meeting of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific, the Member States of the Commission for South Asia (CSA) conducted their 56th meeting. Six Member States of the Commission for South Asia (CSA), Affiliate Members and representatives from the Regional Support Office were also in attendance. 16 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

16 Overall CSA Room Photo Nominations and Elections to General Assembly Offices and the Executive Council s Subsidiary Organs Following the Provisional Agenda, Member States met to discuss and formalize the main issues. Most importantly, nominations and elections to General Assembly Offices and the Executive Council s subsidiary bodies were conducted. In accordance with agenda number 2, nominations of candidates to General Assembly offices were conducted. In following rule 16(3) of its Rules of Procedure, the General Assembly was called upon to elect its Vice Presidents on the basis of equitable geographical distribution, making allowance for the region represented by the President. Therefore, one Vice President and credentials committee were nominated for the regional representative during the General Assembly. Sri Lanka and Iran received an opportunity to represent the South Asia Region. 2) Nomination of the region on the Executive Council and its subsidiary Organs Committee for the review of applications for affiliate membership ( ): India Ad-hoc Committee for the preparation of the final draft Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics: Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh 3) Election of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Commission for Chair: Bangladesh Vice-Chair: Iran and Bhutan The result of the nominations and elections are as below: 1) Nomination of candidates to the 22 nd General Assembly Vice-President: Sri Lanka Credentials Committee: Iran Taleb Rifai and Chair of CSA Meeting Issue 45 December

17 Special Session on Smart Tourism Reviews and Preview of the Regional Activities Another agenda was presented by Mr. Xu Jing, the Regional Program Director for the Asia and the Pacific. Director Xu Jing briefly reported on the region s major activities for the year such as the 29 th CAP-CSA Joint Meeting and the UNWTO Regional Forum on Crisis Communication in May Special Session on Smart Tourism Overview The 22 nd Session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Chengdu included a Special Session on Smart Tourism on September, 14 th and 15 th, It was jointly organized by the UNWTO and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Zhejiang DRORE Technology Co. Ltd, and Zhejiang University. With the theme of A More Sustainable Tourism Future through Technology and Innovation, the Special Session coincided with the celebration of the UN declared International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development The Session aimed at building an understanding of the latest digital technologies and their applications to tourism, this subject is one of the three pillar priorities of the UNWTO general program of work. More than 1,000 participants attended the Special Session on Smart Tourism including tourism ministers, senior tourism officials, and representatives from leading universities and research institutions, Chinese tourist attractions, theme parks and resorts, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and provincial and regional institutions. The Session began with introductory speeches by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, Chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Mario Hardy, and Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration Mr. Li Jinzao. Opening the session, Dr. Taleb Rifai remarked that smart tourism is not a trend, but is the future of tourism development; it represents a whole philosophy leading to more livable, accessible and sustainable destinations, not only for visitors but also for locals. This is of particular significance and relevance in 2017, the International Year of 18 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

18 Special Session on Smart Tourism Sustainable Tourism for Development. Mr. Li Jinzao said, In the age of the mobile Internet, modern technology based on the Internet and in particular, mobile Internet has a profound impact on tourists destination choice, means of travel, and payment method. It has created opportunities for tourism development and posed challenges for tourism authorities and tour operators across the world. The second day began with keynote presentations on the theme of transforming organizations to be truly smart.' Panelists shared their case studies on the development of smart tourism. The third panel covered the topic, destination case studies in smart tourism, in which five speakers reflected upon their experiences in implementing specific smart applications, highlighting their recommendations to other destinations. The fourth panel, Smart tools for heritage conservation and sustainability, discussed new digital technologies and how their application can be used to aid in the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, and to enhance the long-term sustainability of attractions and destinations. Issue 45 December

19 The 11th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook The 11 th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook Guilin, China, Oct 2017 Overview The 11 th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Guilin, on the 10 th of October 2017 and organized by the People s Government of Guilin, China, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). This year s forum addressed the theme of Sustainable Tourism: Beyond Being Green to celebrate the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The Guilin Forum aims to provide an annual Pan-Asia-Pacific platform for policy makers, senior officials, researchers and industry representatives to be presented with global and regional tourism trends and to share knowledge, strategies and practices in international tourism. This forum will allow participants to analyze the current tourism situation and map out the next course of action for the future. Plenary Sessions Two keynote sessions with seven renowned speakers, and two-panel sessions commenced on the first day of the event during the Grand Opening Ceremony. Moderated by HKPU (Hong Kong Polytechnic University), the opening Keynote Session featured three presentations. The first Keynote Session was entitled International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 by Mr. Márcio Favilla (Executive Director, UNWTO). The second speech was made by Mr. Ralf Buckley (Griffith University, Australia) and dealt with three decades of sustainable tourism research. In the third speech, Mr. DAI Bin (President, China Tourism Academy, China) overviewed sustainable tourism research and practice in China. The subsequent panel session explored the subtheme of Sustainable Tourism for Development: Best Policy Practice, 20 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

20 During the session During the session During the session moderated by Dr. Ong Hong Peng (Chairman, National Arts, Culture & Heritage Academy of Malaysia). The first panel, by Ms. Clara Van Der Pol (Statistics, Trends and Policy, UNWTO), spoke on the topic of Towards a Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST). The second was entitled Philippines Gearing Towards Sustainable by Mr. Francisco M. Lardizabal (Chief Tourism Operations Officer, Department of Tourism, The Philippines). Ms. Artika Devi (Senior Statistician, Fiji Bureau of Statistics, Fiji) made the subsequent speech and dealt with developments towards measuring sustainable tourism in Fiji. In the last speech, Mr. I. Gede Pitana (Deputy Minister for International Marketing, Ministry of Tourism, Indonesia) spoke on the topic of Mobile-positioning Data to inform on Sustainable Tourism? The afternoon sessions consisted of the one panel session and the keynote session. The theme for the second panel was Sustainable Tourism for Development Best Industry Practice chaired by Dr. Mario Hardy (Chief Executive Officer, PATA). Speakers of this session included Mr. Jude Kasturi Arachchi (Director, Jet Wing, Sri Lanka), Mr. Vincent Calzaroni (CEO, BlueSolutions, Cambodia), Ms. Jean Wee (Preservation of Sites & Monuments, National Heritage Board, Singapore) and Mike Orgill (the Head of Public Policy Asia-Pacific, Airbnb). HKPU (Hong Kong Polytechnic University) gave the second keynote address on the subtheme of Tourism for Sustainable Development in China Speakers included Dr. WU Bihu, (Professor, Peking University, China), Dr. ZHANG Hui (Professor, Beijing Jiaotong University, China) and Mr. AN Li (Vice President of Airbnb China). Each speaker presented diverse examples of Tourism for Sustainable Development in China. Issue 45 December

21 Group Photo of the Participants Technical Sessions Day two of the event featured two keynote sessions and one panel session. The day s opening session was chaired by Dr. Ong Hong Peng (Chairman, National Arts, Culture & Heritage Academy of Malaysia) and consisted of five keynotes speeches under the sub-theme of Tourism Trends and Outlook The subsequent panel session explored the sub-theme of The Role of Academia in Driving Sustainability, moderated by HKPU (Hong Kong Polytechnic University). The first speech was titled The monitoring of sustainable tourism development: University as a Driver for Sustainable Tourism on Experience and Lessons from China. The second speech was made by Mr. CHENG Daopin (President, Guilin Tourism University, China) and dealt with research in poverty alleviation through tourism and sustainable development of minority areas. In the three speeches, Dr. Haiyan SONG (Associate Dean and Chair Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) spoke on the topic of Sustaining Tourism Growth through Knowledge Transfer. The last speech was made by Dr. Tsung-chiung (Emily) WU (Professor, National Dong-Hwa University, Taiwan) and dealt with sustainability and resilience in action in community-based tourism development and the closing keynote session, chaired by Mr. Harry Hwang (Deputy Director, Regional Programs for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO), spoke on the topic of Sustainability in a New Height. The 2017 UNWTO/PATA Guilin Tourism Forum concluded by emphasizing the need to build on the three decades of sustainable tourism research and practice and on how to move sustainability to the next level. 22 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

22 The UNWTO, through the promotion of tourism and its many benefits, is committed to support the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including: eradicationg extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promotiong gender equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality rates; improving maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development. With this aim, the UNWTO operates numerous programs, projects and activities in over 100 countries. For example, education and training, ethics and social dimensions of tourism, information and communications, institutional and corporate relations, knowledge network, market trends, risk and crisis management, the Silk Road Project; and related technical cooperation initiatives. In this section, existing UNWTO worldwide programs, projects and activities will be highlighted. Further to this, an overview of specific case studies in the Asia and the Pacific Region will be shared.

23 UNWTO Initiative Development of National Systems of Tourism Statistics (STS) and Tourism Satellite Account (TSA)- A Growing Demand for Technical Assistance Department of Tourism of Botswana implementin a new Visitor Survey Vanessa Satur Programme Manager, Technical Cooperation UNWTO About the Tourism and Satellite Account In 2017, the development of national tourism statistical systems and Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) continued to be one of the top priorities of Member States of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the most demanded area of technical assistance from UNWTO. One may wonder why this is so. Surely, governments would place more focus on tourism planning, strategic development or marketing and promotion. However, the simplest answer is that without statistics, without data and information, it is a challenge to plan strategically or to optimize the resources needed for marketing and promotion. A Role of the Tourism and Satellite Today, tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing economic sectors of the world. It is estimated to represent around 5% of global direct GDP and 30% of the world s exports of services. There are an estimated 235 million jobs worldwide directly related to tourism making tourism one 24 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

24 of the world s top job creators, especially for women and youth. Moreover, if well managed, tourism can contribute towards the preservation and conservation of natural and cultural heritage. While many countries of the world are fully aware of the overall socio-economic benefits of tourism, they find that they have limited information on how tourism impacts on their development. In a sector that is increasingly competitive and where it is imperative to strike an equitable balance between progress and sustainability, countries need a thorough understanding of their tourism sector and its role in their economies. Tourism growth and sustainability can only be achieved through a reliable and accurate System of Tourism Statistics. Traditionally, this information was limited to a collection of data which measured the number of foreign travelers to a country, hotel occupancy rates, information provided through visitor surveys, and estimates of tourist expenditures based on the balance of payments data. However, many countries are now finding a need for information that is more accurate and of a broader scope, including on types of visitors (both international and domestic), the activities they engage in, and their consumption of goods and services. On the supply side, it is equally important to understand the industries which provide tourism services, in particular their processes of production, use of labor, capital investments and so on. Information on domestic tourism, in addition to that on inbound tourism, becomes increasingly relevant. In the 1990s and 2000s, it was common to focus technical assistance in tourism to issues related to policy development, master planning, legislation, regulation, institutional strengthening and streamlining. Nowadays, given the constant expansion and rapid evolution of the tourism sector, countries are increasingly prioritizing the need for data collection and management to understand better and develop their tourism sectors. There is no doubt that a reliable and efficient system of tourism statistics provides: a better understanding of tourism both regarding demand (visitors, their characteristics and expenditures) and supply (industries catering to visitors, their characteristics and productions accounts); guides tourism policy, planning, product development and marketing; provides a useful lobbying tool to National Tourism Administrations to advocate the cause of tourism through credible and comparable facts; strengthens institutional partnerships in producing, sharing and using data; and reinforces the capacities within Government agencies, in particular, the tourism authorities and the statistical authorities, in implementing data collection and analysis and TSA compilation. Between 2016 and 2017, the UNWTO provided technical assistance to 18 countries in Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, on an individual basis i.e. focusing on national tourism statistics development. In addition, the UNWTO also implemented three regional tourism statistical projects in tourism statistics. These projects were named RETOSA (Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa 14 countries), SITCA (Sistema de Integración Turística de Centro America Tourism Organization for Central America 7 countries), and GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council 6 countries). In about 50% of the cases, technical assistance was financed directly by the Member States themselves. However, it is important to note that an increasing number of donor and other financing institutions are realizing the importance of credible data to guide sustainable development, and, have therefore included support to tourism statistics in their respective programs of work. Recently, the UNWTO has collaborated with entities such Issue 45 December

25 as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and the three above-mentioned regional associations (RETOSA, SITCA and GCC). Technical assistance ranged from short-term needs assessment missions to assist in design and implementation of visitor surveys, database development, and development of other methods for data capture and analysis. Ultimately, however, the main focus of the UNWTO technical assistance is capacity-building: building the capacities of the various institutions involved in tourism statistics in collecting, analyzing and compiling data to obtain a comprehensive overview of the scope and range of tourism services and activities in the country and related economic data. No development agency, nor an agency of the United Nations can build and run a national tourism statistical system it has to be developed, implemented and owned independently by each country themselves. So, in essence, all technical assistance in statistics is the support and guidance to building the system and the training to those institutions which run it. Another important component of the UNWTO technical assistance in the field of tourism statistics, and linked to the issue of capacity building and institutional strengthening, is the organizing of national and regional workshops to achieve three main objectives. First, to understand what tourism statistics are and how tourism activities are measured for future policy and planning. Second, to become fully familiarized with the key definitions and methodologies that should be adopted for measuring and analyzing tourism supply and demand. Lastly, a critical analysis should be conducted to identify the key challenges that countries face when developing tourism data and statistics. Recommended Methodological Framework 2008 (TSA: RMF 2008). The Regional Capacity Building Program consists of a series of three or four Workshops held at intervals of approximately six to twelve months in various regions of the world for officials from national tourism administrations, national statistical offices, central banks and Immigration Offices. For each regional Program, around twelve UNWTO member countries in each of the regions are invited to participate in the series of Workshops. Each Workshop takes around three days and is organized in a structured manner with harmonized support material to guide countries in better understanding the current status of their national Systems of Tourism Statistics to be able to design the way forward for the development of an accurate TSA. A program was organized for the Asia and the Pacific region jointly in Australia and New Zealand, in cooperation with UNESCAP and Thailand. The fourteen countries selected to participate in this program were: Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Macao (China), Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand. A Regional Capacity Building Program for Northern and Western African countries was launched earlier this year in Algeria. It is also important to highlight another feature which is fast gaining prominence regarding technical assistance in tourism statistics: the need for the harmonization of data. As mentioned earlier, the UNWTO receives an increasing number of requests to partner with regional organizations to develop and promote harmonization of tourism statistical information for countries of a region to allow them to have comparable data and share information to facilitate joint tourism development and marketing programs. In the framework of technical assistance services to the Member States, UNWTO also provides Regional Capacity Building Program to support the implementation of the UN ratified International Recommendations on Tourism Statistics 2008 (IRTS 2008) and Tourism Satellite Account: Moving into 2018, the UNWTO plans to continue offering its technical assistance to all Members in the area of tourism statistics. Technical assistance will evolve to include, wherever possible, elements related to the Measurement of Sustainable Tourism (MST) a new initiative, led by the 26 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

26 UNWTO, which aims to expand the current scope of the System of Tourism Statistics beyond a primarily economic focus to include also social and environmental aspects of tourism. As such, it will enable measuring relevant aspects of sustainable tourism in a way that is integrated, consistent and comparable with the internationally agreed measurement systems for measuring the economy, the environment and social issues. MST is supported by the United Nations Statistical Commission and builds upon established UN statistical standards, notably the Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting. The UN has identified MST as the means to derive indicators on sustainable tourism to track progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The MST Framework is in the development and testing phase, with various countries engaging in work through pilot studies. The UNWTO is gradually integrating aspects of MST into the overall framework of UNWTO technical assistance in tourism statistics. In June 2017, the UNWTO and the Government of the Philippines united Ministers, Chief Statisticians and altogether over 1000 stakeholders from 88 countries in Manila (Philippines) for the 6th International Conference on Tourism Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism. The conference aimed to build international consensus on how to measure sustainable tourism, led by the conviction that effective sustainable tourism policies require the integrated, coherent and robust information base that a consistent statistical approach can provide. The resulting Manila Call for Action on Measuring Sustainable Tourism reflects the collective vision and commitment of all participants to develop and implement a statistical framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST) in its economic, environmental and social dimensions and across relevant spatial levels (global, national and sub-national). Some recent examples of UNWTO technical assistance in tourism statistics Updating of the Tourism Satellite Account for Botswana Botswana is in the process of developing a National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS). The NSDS is a framework that would guide the National Statistical System (NSS) in the country. As part of this process, each sector has been tasked with the development and implementation of Sector Plans for Statistics and, due to its economic importance with tourism having been selected for this process. Botswana, through technical expertise from the UNWTO, already developed its Tourism Statistics Database System that resulted in the development of two Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA), for the years, 2005/06 and A TSA is the standard statistical framework approved by the United Nations Statistical Commission for measuring the economic contribution of tourism to an economy, consistent with the way other economic sectors are measured in the System of National Accounts. The objective of the project is to update the Botswana TSA using 2016 as the reference year. Project activities commenced in March 2017 are scheduled to be completed in February During this period, UNWTO shall: conduct a review of the current system of tourism statistics and Tourism Statistics Sector Plan; undertake database development regarding upgrading and improvements to the existing statistical database within the Department of Tourism; implement improvements in data collection and analysis through the design and implementation of various surveys training of the Department of Tourism staff and other stakeholders which play a key role in tourism statistics Issue 45 December

27 UNWTO experts with representatives from the Central Statistics Bureau and the Ministry of Information of Kuwait and TSA compilation in new and updated statistical procedures; guide preparations for an updated TSA for Botswana for the year Strengthening of Tourism Statistical System and Development of Tourism Satellite Account for the Gulf Cooperation Council Member States The importance and relevance of this project are that, for the first time, the UNWTO partnered with a regional statistical organization to support the development of tourism statistics as opposed to collaborating with regional tourism organizations. The Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-STAT) was tasked to prepare Strategic Planning and Road Maps for Development to 2020 for 11 economic sectors including tourism. The GCC Member States comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. UNWTO cooperated with GCC-STAT in the preparation of the roadmap for the tourism sector with a view towards harmonization of the collection and analysis of tourism statistical and related economic data. As a first step, conducting on the level of tourism statistics in each GCC Member State. Then, Member States prepared roadmaps for the tourism sector for The roadmap focuses on the harmonization of the collection and analysis of tourism statistical and related economic data from a regional perspective while also providing capacity building and technical support to each of the GCC Member States about their own specific statistical needs. UNWTO and GCC-STAT aim to extend their collaboration between in the implementation of the roadmap for the tourism sector. 28 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

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29 Special Report Smart Tourism Smart City Smartness of Things (SoT) Nowadays, many things are associated with / labeled as smart; small things such as watches, TVs, and smart phones and big things such as cars, buildings/hotels, and cities. Looking at the history of mobile phones in retrospect, the main functions they had were making a phone call and sending short messages. A Japanese company, NTT DoCoMo, initiated the fundamental change to the structure of these simple mobile phones in This change, followed by a more sophisticated change regarding usage and functionality of smartphones by Steve Jobs and Apple in 2007, in turn, brought a revolution to the structure of many aspects of the different industries, lifestyle and many more fields. Thus, a smartphone, according to Phone Scoop (2011), is, A category of mobile phone that provides the functions of a small computer. Incorporating functions of once separated products such as a camera, GPS, maps, PDA, media player, games, etc. through a growing body of applications (apps.) is the unique ability of smartphones. The tourism industry is not an exemption and could adopt the new changes brought by new technologies into its portfolio profoundly. Smart City Concept Tourism is an information-intensive industry and using IT systems in tourism (smart cards, mobile 30 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

30 applications, IOT) facilitates the speed and efficiency of this industry. In the face of rapid changes in this changing and challenging world, realizing how to catch up with the new trends in the market and then to be prosperous is a privilege. Being engaged in smart tourism is possible by having smart cities, therefore, we need to transform touristic cities/destinations into smart ones. These cities should be able to serve citizens first and then tourists by improving the infrastructure and superstructure properties, leveraging technology, and embedding digital technology in all city functions. Some features of smart cities are: - Using a broad network of information, Big data (to measure conditions in the streets, buildings, transportation, and the air) - Optimizing resources (environment, society, and the economy) - Promoting sustainable development - Making cities more livable, alive, workable, and prosperous According to the fourth edition of the Cities in Motion Index, which is prepared by the IESE Center for Globalization and Strategy, to compile the index, 79 indicators across ten different dimensions of urban life were analyzed: the economy, technology, human capital, social cohesion, international outreach, the environment, mobility and transportation, urban planning, public administration, and governance. By recognizing and ranking the smartest and advanced cities using these indexes, mayors, urban planners, companies and interested groups can exploit this ranking as a tool to improve the urban life management and thus, improve the quality of life of the residents. These smart city rankings will become an inspiring source to detect the best practices for more innovation, connectedness, and viability in an urban context. Smart Tourism Exploiting the term/concept, smart, to tourism is not Smart Tourism astonishing considering the huge amount of tourismrelated information and its dependency on Information and Communication Technology (ICTs). Widely cited in academic journals, smart tourism and e-tourism however, are two different notions, but smart tourism heavily depends on e-tourism and its digital-based infrastructure. E-tourism operates as a bridge that connects digital entities to physical entities in smart tourism. Therefore, the integration of ICTs into physical infrastructure is the key aspect of a smart destination. A widespread use of social media and a move towards comprehending the high mobility of tourism information helped with the transition from e-tourism to smart tourism in a certain period. Therefore, the functionality of smartphones associated with mobility is of major significance in travelers' viewpoint as well as residents of a smart city. Smart Tourism System Four necessary forms of ICTs for setting-up a smart tourism system are cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), mobile communication, and artificial intelligence technology. Therefore, a transition from traditional destinations to smart destinations to be responsive to modern tourists demands seems challenging for authorities and entails a new strategy in destination-marketing. Issue 45 December

31 Impacts Two important issues have emerged while moving from a traditional city to a smart city with the aim to have a smart destination. The first issue is that by applying smart city principles to urban/rural areas, the respective state considers the welfare of citizens and tourists at the same time by emphasizing the optimal use of resources, development sustainability, accessibility of facilities, and enhancing the quality of life for residents and visiting experience for travelers. The second issue is the emergence of new business opportunities at different levels. Most of the tourism-related fields like hotels, restaurants and transportation will benefit from the improvement in the quality of life throughout the destination. Another aspect of a smart city approach is protecting cities vital infrastructures such as transportation, power plants, hospitals, and water treatment systems. Improving smart tourism A considerable institutional effort and support have been provided to realize smart tourism. A simple categorization regarding the region shows that in Asia the focus is on driving the smart tourism agenda forward. In China and South Korea, for example, funding for building the technological infrastructure to support smart tourism is an ongoing project. In Europe, besides innovating and developing tourism-related applications to enrich visitors experience, the focus is on enhancing and promoting destination competitiveness among burgeoning smart tourism destinations in the European tourism landscape. In Australia, the focus is on smart governance and open data by recognizing the transformative power of smart technologies regarding the economic, social and experiential dimensions. Smart tourists Digital footprint of modern tourists Tourists can be an important source of generating a considerable amount of data (Big Data) by leaving their Smart Tourist digital footprint behind in the cities they visit. This data, in turn, can help with tracking their presence throughout their touristic activities, in other words, to examine the spatial distribution of tourists in cities. The areas covered by Big Data are numerous and ranges from simplest issues like Internet searches, texting, and GPS logs to bank card transactions and images recorded with cameras and so on. Big Data, with the huge amount of collected data, comes in handy since official data cannot be a complete/responsive source of detailed information on the places tourists visit. Conclusion Identifying popular touristic sites, especially in modern tourists' viewpoints, is one of the objectives of tourism organizations in the host city/country and this will help with improving the facilities for the areas were tourists are concentrated. Using geo-located data sources to identify the locations of tourists present in and based on the activity they are engaged in is another aspect of smart tourism. The ultimate aim of smart tourism is to enhance the competitiveness of tourism organizations and destinations by developing information and communication structures, in other words, helping travelers with making more convenient and smart decisions. 32 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

32 Destination Report Passion. Connected. PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic New Horizons for Asia s Winter Sports New Horizons PyeongChang2018 Logo PyeongChang Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm at winter In 2011, PyeongChang won the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games after two unsuccessful attempts. It has been six years since we embarked on the journey toward the success of PyeongChang 2018 and now, as we enter the winter months with less than three months to go until the Games, excitement is building. PyeongChang 2018 has leveraged its geographical features to its advantage and divided the venues into two clusters based on the sporting disciplines. The PyeongChang Mountain Cluster is for snow-related sports and sliding sports, whereas Gangneung Coastal Cluster is for icerelated sports. New Horizons PyeongChang is located on a mountain range in the eastern part of South Korea at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level. With long winters and heavy snow, it is not surprising snow sports such as skiing are well developed there. PyeongChang is Korea s epicenter of snow sports and is the hometown to many Korean national winter sports athletes. With South Koreas central geographical location in Northeast Asia and access to emerging and fast-growing markets, PyeongChang 2018 hopes to create a legacy of new growth and potential. PyeongChang 2018 s vision is to open up New Horizons for the Olympic Movement and the world of winter sports. The Organizing Committee aims to expand winter sports in Asia and transform Gangwon Province into an international winter sports hub and a premier tourist destination. Issue 45 December

33 Gangneung Coastal Cluster PyeongChang Mountain Cluster Every Day Culture and Festivals Along with the array of sports competitions, the Cultural Olympiad for PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games will be an exciting program of culture, entertainment, festivals and educational activities held across the country to connect everyone to the 2018 Games. The Olympic Winter Games begin in PyeongChang on February 9th but the official opening of the Cultural Olympiad will be on February 3rd and will feature more than 120 culture and arts companies across a wide range of performances and exhibitions. As athletes, officials and spectators start to descend upon PyeongChang, the 40-day festival will welcome them all and run through until the final day of the Paralympic Winter Games on March 18th. Festival highlights include exhibitions of leading modern and contemporary Korean artists, performances of martial art masters, traditional Korean cultural activities and performances by national and public art companies. There will also be street parades, cheering events and K-pop concerts. Technology The 2018 Winter Games will be an opportunity to showcase Korea s advanced technology. POCOG will showcase Korea's advanced IT service for the Games in 2018, including 5G Telecommunications, Convenient Internet of Things (IoT), and Ultra High Definition (UHD) broadcasting. New broadcasting technologies have surprised the world in previous Olympics. In 2018, viewers will experience a new point of view the athlete s view. Olympic Games competitions previously were only broadcasted in a spectator s view. However, with new technology, viewers at home will be able to feel the passion of the athletes from their point of view in winter sports. PyeongChang 2018 will be the first Olympic Games to use 5G, the world s fastest mobile network. Tested 5G networks will be set up in and around the competition venues, Main Press Center, Incheon Airport and areas with high floating populations. Real-Time 5G Services like Hologram Live, and Sync View, and 360 VR will bring the Games closer to viewers at home. Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enables these objects to collect and exchange data. PyeongChang 2018 will provide Performance-Enhancing Services with IoT and Big Data Technology, Transportation and Disaster Monitoring Services, Intelligent Transportation Services (ITS), and Individual Customized Services. Korean television networks will broadcast the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games in 4K Ultra-High Definition (UHD), and 8K UHD video signals and will employ cutting-edge multiple Screen Technology (Screen X). 34 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

34 PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games is the acknowledgment of athletes with and without impairments as equals. The first time that the Olympic and Paralympic Games were held together was in Seoul, South Korea in The greatest legacy of the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Summer Games was the dramatic change in the Korean public s nationwide perception of not only Para sports but of the human rights of people with disabilities. Thirty years later, we are engaged in systematic preparations aimed at ensuring that the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games preserves the spirit and follows in the historical footprints of the previous 1988 Games, thereby promoting further positive changes in Korea s society. The Paralympic Games is about a person s ability, not about their disability and are about what people can do, not about what they cannot do. People should view athletes participation in Para sports not only as emotionally moving stories of overcoming hardships and difficulties but as pure athletic achievements. The 1 st Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Day The goals of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games are clear: expansion of sports infrastructure for athletes with impairments, improved accessibility for all those who require assistance to move around, expansion of the foundation for the Paralympic Games, and enhanced athletic performance. Plans are underway to promote education regarding and to support Para sports (e.g. provision of support for athletic training and equipment, expansion of scholastic sports for the discovery and cultivation of promising athletes), development of relevant policies, and an increase of public awareness of Para sports. The 2 nd Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Day Overall, the success of the Paralympic Games cannot be gauged by the outcome of the Games itself but by the changes in perceptions inspired by the event. The Paralympic Games serves as the perfect opportunity for people with and without impairments to forge a bond through sports. The true success of the Paralympic Games The 3 rd Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Day Issue 45 December

35 PyeongChang Olympic Plaza Venues for PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics PyeongChang is now fully prepared for fierce competition of the world s top athletes. Six existing venues have been renovated for the Games, while seven new venues, including the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza, are now available to enjoy. Every venue provides the best environment and systems possible, befitting the world s greatest celebration of winter sports. Athlete-Oriented Olympic Games All venues are within a thirty-minute commute via provided transportation from the accommodation locations of the athletes, enabling athletes to focus solely on their games. The PyeongChang Olympic Plaza is the venue for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and at the center of the plaza are seven other venues that make up the PyeongChang Mountain Cluster with five other venues located in the Gangneung Coastal Cluster. Athletes will perform at the highest level in what is predicted to be the most compact venue layout in the history of the Winter Olympic Games. Convergence of Environment and Technology Gangwon Province s nature, which is optimal for winter sports, together with Korea s advanced technology, creates a dynamic competition environment for PyeongChang The fields of play in the Alpensia Olympic Park have the right mix of natural and artificial snow, providing the best competing conditions for athletes. The well-equipped Alpensia Ski Jumping Center utilizes wind breaking nets that can slow down the wind velocity to less than 3 meters per second. Venues for All With creating a legacy in mind great care and consideration went into the construction of both venues for the Paralympic Games and post-games. The Gangneung Curling Center has accessible bathrooms that allow access for companions of both genders. Also, wheelchair curling athletes can easily navigate the venue with ramps and lifts. All of the venues, including the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza, have bright post-games prospects, ranging from professional athlete training venues to public sports centers with cultural and leisure facilities. OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Torch Relay began in Korea with the arrival of the Olympic flame on November 1st, 36 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

36 Torchbearers 7,500 bearers represent the 75 million Koreans in North and South Korea, symbolizing peace on the Korean peninsula. 17 Cities on Route Seventeen cities and provinces on the Torch Relay route will celebrate the spirit of peace and harmony, leaving an Olympic legacy. 101 Days The Olympic Flame's Arrival Celebration Ceremony One hundred is a number signifying completion (as in 100%) and we added 1 to 100 to open a new horizon. which also marked 100 days until the Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony. The slogan of the Olympic Torch Relay will be Let Everyone Shine means that the flame will never be extinguished and it will shed light on the dreams, passion and futures of anyone, anytime and anywhere. The flame will travel nationwide across 2,018 kilometers over 101 days carried by 7,500 torchbearers, highlighting Korea s leading IT technologies, traditional culture and some of their most spectacular sites along the way. The Torch Relay will unite the nation and help share the Olympic spirit as the Olympic flame makes its way across Korea. ( pyeongchang2018.com/en/torch-relay) Flame of Passion and Unity Olympic Slogan: Let Everyone Shine The Olympic flame, burning bright anytime and anywhere, will shed light on all of our dreams and passions. Torch Five forks of flames and pentagons on the top and the bottom represent the five continents. Five forks come together to symbolize the Olympic spirit that will unite the world. Welcome to PyeongChang 2018! Come and experience the Olympic spirit, the famed hospitality of Korea, and a single unifying passion for sports. Join us, where tradition meets modern culture. Come and see Korea s tourism infrastructure and eco-friendly industry driving green growth. Witness as the boundaries between nations blur and people around the world mingle. The Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang 2018 will mark the debut of PyeongChang as a new pillar of Korea s regional economies and Asia s hub for winter sports. More information about the PyeongChang 2018 Games and ticket sales can be found at and Total Distance The Olympic flame will travel for 2,018 kilometers, carrying wishes for the success of PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games. Issue 45 December

37 Sustainable Tourism Development Climate Change and Tourism change. The natural environment is an essential resource for tourism, especially coastal destinations, beaches, nature, winter sports and eco-tourism. Global Warming Introduction With the rises in sea level, sea temperature and storm frequency these increases are becoming more widespread and the impact of climate change is becoming increasingly clear. Climate change is not only threatening human habitation, flora and fauna but is damaging glaciers and also human lives. The tourism sector holds an important place in the world s global economic system when considering global economies, social values, its role in sustainable development, and its strong relationship with the natural environment and natural resources. Tourism is both a vector and a victim of climate Changes in the weather and weather patterns in tourist destinations can have a significant impact on tourists' comfort and travel decisions. Changing demand patterns and tourist flows not only affect tourism and the residential community, but also block the impact on related sectors such as agriculture, handicrafts or architecture; therefore, the 'normal business' as usual scenario cannot be maintained. Now, it is important that we make our efforts with a new development paradigm incorporating a low-carbon footprint, resource-efficient and socially inclusive development model for destinations to follow. However, at the same time, tourism is a vector in that tourism-related emissions have been calculated for a few major sectors, including domestic and international leisure and business travel, transport to the destination, accommodation, and activities at the destination. Therefore, it is indispensable to recognize and improve the problems of climate change in tourism. The Davos Declaration 2007 As part of advancing problems, the world community has asked the United Nations for a strategic response to climate change consistent with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 38 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

38 The Davos Declaration in Davos, Switzerland, from 1-3 October 2007 was a commitment that tourism is at the forefront of the global response to climate change. With an eye towards a timely and balanced response to climate change in the tourism sector, the UNWTO, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with the support of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Swiss Government, convened the Second International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism. The conference agreed that it is estimated to contribute about 5% of global CO2 emissions in the tourism sector. It acknowledged the importance in adopting a variety of policies that encourage sustainable tourism that reflects the "quadruple bottom line" including environmental, social, economic and climate responses. Tourism is a crucial component of the global economy. This seminar provided a comprehensive audit of current impacts and assessed option for possible actions to governments, international organizations and customers, for example, the mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emission, applying existing and new technology, securing budgets to assist poor regions and countries adhering to MDGs. Since the meeting, various conferences on climate change have been held and the awareness of the world about the issue has been raised. Climate Change and Tourism in Asia and the Pacific There have been many advances, but we must strengthen our efforts to better understand the relationship between tourism and climate change in the Asia Pacific region, one of the world's fastest growing tourism regions. The UNWTO Regional Program for Asia and the Pacific addressed climate change responses in the Asia Pacific region in the 2015 publication, "Responding to Climate Change: Tourism Initiatives in Asia and the Pacific." Done in collaboration with the University of Queensland, this publication reviewed tourism-related climate change policies, programmes, and other initiatives in the region. Responding to Climate Change According to the publication, climate change impacts the Asia Pacific region by putting natural resources, which is essential for tourism, at risk. Many countries in the region have experienced rapid growth and have consequently contributed to global carbon emission levels. While there are tourism projects in place to respond to climate change, they do not show high levels of adaptability. An additional factor is that awareness of the risks of climate change is not widely understood. Nevertheless, one of the positive things to evaluate is that many governments in the region are implementing sustainable tourism policies to contribute to the improvement of the global issue. That is, Governments in the region have used a variety of policy instruments to adapt and mitigate climate change. Therefore, although the integration and awareness of the impacts of climate change are at the preliminary stage of tourism policy, climate change in some environmental departments has been strongly emphasized after reviewing the policies of the region. Conclusion In summary, even though climate change has a major impact on tourism especially in the Asia Pacific region based on nature tourism, current activity related to this problem is still not enough. Therefore, it is essential that countries concentrate on the issues of climate change and lowering carbon emissions more substantially. Issue 45 December

39 Tourism Policy Policies for the Sharing Economy in Korea Sharing Economy Introduction While there is no clear definition of a shared economy to date, Professor Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Harvard University, has been using this term since A shared economy is a type of cooperative consumption in which the sharing of many products amongst individuals in a society and has a conceptual role in contrast to the capitalist economy that represents conventional mass production and mass consumption. In the sharing economy, goods have the concept of borrowing rather than ownership, and there is a significance to create new value by sharing technology and assets of others and goods. In the marketplace it refers to a new market that provides services based on P2P or sharing goods or services. The UNWTO has been actively interested in the New Platform Tourism Services (socalled sharing economy) in the tourism sector and organized the ITB 2017 to discuss the development direction and the unconventional approach. Growth of the Sharing Economy in the Tourism Sector According to the OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2016 Report, the value of the sharing economy is estimated at $26 billion by 2013 (Economist, 2013) and has continued to grow 40 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

40 HomeAway, Airbnb, Uber, Lyft, Bla Bla Car rapidly. This tremendous growth is expected to continue in the future, reaching $335 billion globally by 2025 (PwC, 2014). In particular, P2P-based services have emerged as an alternative to conventional tourism services, and the sharing economy is growing rapidly, centering on tourism. Various factors cause such a rapid and sharing economy. The development of technology is the most important factor in the growth of the sharing economy. With the development of transportation and communication, people can interact with each other more and the digitization of the economy caused by the development of the Internet has become a catalyst for the growth of the sharing economy. For example, the emergence of smartphones with GPS, the Internet and secure payment has led to the spread of the sharing economy, and technological advances through data storage and big data analysis have also contributed to the growth of sharing economy. The Emergence of Four Sharing Economyrelated Industries The rapid growth of economy-related enterprises in the tourism sector is prominent in four sub-sectors: accommodation, transportation, meals, and travel experiences. Sharing Accommodation Among them, sharing accommodation is the most recognized area, with platforms such as Airbnb and HomeAway. Both platforms allow individuals to rent accommodation for the short-term, and visitors can book online in advance. Sharing Transportation Another area where the sharing economy is active in the tourism sector is the transportation. Uber, Lyft, and Blablacar are the most prominent and innovative business model in the sector. Uber, a ride-sharing service platform, has already been operating in over 400 cities around the world and has become an innovative start-up company representing a sharing economy. In the case of Blablacar, it is doing business for urban travelers and leisure consumers. The development of a sharing economy enterprise in transportation can generate development by causing competition with traditional transportations, and it can produce a service reflecting consumer 's preferences. Sharing Dining and Travel Experiences Two other sub-sectors of tourism where the sharing economy is gaining popularity are dining and travel experiences. Firstly, cooking and eating together allows tourists to eat freshly made dishes instead of packaged foods and to join locals for dinner parties. The meal-sharing service offers a unique opportunity for tourists to experience authentic cultural cuisine experiences by interacting with locals and eating local food in a relaxed and intimate Issue 45 December

41 VizEat EatWith atmosphere. For example, the VizEat and EatWith are the representative sharing dining corporations. which provides public education, news and information on a variety of sharing services and projects. Next, there are various companies, such as Vayable and ToursByLocals that share the tourist experience. On these platforms, residents can simply provide their own experience or make it available as a tourism package, and foreign tourists can increase their satisfaction by choosing a customized tourism experience at a relatively low cost. Seoul Korea a City of Sharing Seoul has become a sharing economy city. The city government has made sharing time, space, talents, objects, and information by citizens to efficiently utilize resources, contribute to the revitalization of the local economy, form a sense of community with its neighbors, and aim to contribute to the sustainability of the environment. Seoul is noted for having established leadership in this area with its high-density population, high-technological IT infrastructure and ultra-fast broadband. The Share Hub The Share Hub is operated by the city to support the sharing activities of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, local governments, enterprises and organizations, and to spread and participate in the sharing. From 2013 to 2016, it had supported the operation of the Share Hub from the corporate C.O.D.E. (Formerly Creative Commons Korea), The Purpose of Share Hub Policy While social demand is rapidly increasing in welfare, the environment and jobs, there are many difficulties in solving the problem with limited budget and resources. Additionally, the consciousness of community has disappeared due to rapid urbanization, and resource depletion and environmental pollution problems due to overconsumption have been continuously occurring. The government wants to mitigate the difficult economic, social and environmental problems through a new way of 'sharing'. The city of Seoul is trying to solve traffic congestion and environmental pollution in the city through a 'car sharing service' called 'Nanum-Car'. Currently, there are 1,922 'Sharing Cars' in Seoul. The intention is to encourage citizens to use public transportation as a first choice, with car-sharing as an alternative option. The service is available in the city and car booking and paying via credit card through the Internet or a smartphone. Moreover, the city has secured a sharing parking lot for about 3,000 cars as a way to solve the scarcity of parking spaces, and is carrying out a residential sharing project to meet the increasing demand for accommodation for foreign tourists. The shared parking spaces will increase benefits using 42 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

42 tours By Locals Share Hub Institution in Seoul Nanum Car fewer resources, and the creation of new jobs and additional income by increasing the sharing economy companies. It can also contribute to solving environmental problems caused by massive over-consumption. Conclusion If the sharing economy goes well, consumers can save the cost of using resources, and suppliers can sell more goods. Also, by reducing travel costs through reasonable prices and consumption, tourists can also get new experiences and various tourism information. Theoretically, the sharing economy is a welcome alternative and innovative economic system, but there are also voices of real concern. As the size of the sharing economy grows, the quality of services must be improved. However, there is still a legitimate problem with conducting business due to the conflict with existing companies. Although the sharing economy may not yet occupy a large proportion of the marketplace, the spreading rate is happening rapidly. As the sharing economy increases in activity, the existing industrial structure will inevitably change, therefore it is necessary to prepare for possible future side effects. The first thing to recognize is that the activation of the sharing economy will eventually lead to the expansion of the new system as the inefficiency of the existing economic system is removed. For this reason, it is desirable to prepare for the reality rather than limiting the growth of the sharing enterprise. More than anything else, sustaining collaboration, common understanding, correcting the perception of the sharing economy and all procedural feasibility should be underlined to minimize conflicts. Issue 45 December

43 Interview Jung Chang Soo, President, Korea Tourism Organization Q1 What does the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 mean to you as CEO of Korea Tourism Organization? Korea will be winning a so-called Grand Slam by hosting the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 after the Olympic Games Seoul in 1988 and the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu. In particular, PyeongChang 2018 holds a lot of significance as a kick starter of the Olympics which will be held in North East Asia (Tokyo in 2020 and Beijing in 2022). Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has been at the forefront of promoting and marketing Korea as an attractive tourist destination every time mega events are held. In this respect, PyeongChang 2018 is considered as tourism Olympics. Every employee at KTO is putting a lot of efforts in promoting PyeongChang 2018 and attracting inbound tourists so that they have unforgettable memories during their stay in Korea. Q2 KTO is at the forefront of promoting Korea as an attractive tourist destination. What does KTO specifically do for the success of PyeongChang 2018? KTO is implementing a variety of projects to promote Korea s tourism industry and sustainable tourism development related to PyeongChang 2018 in cooperation with the PyeongChang Olympics Organizing Committee and the local government of Gangwon-do Province Its projects related to the Olympics are roughly divided into three: national and international marketing, infrastructure and service improvement for inbound tourists, and meetings on tackling issues related to tourism. I would like to take PyeongChang 3D Figure Spectators PyeongChang 3D Figure Spectators, PyeongChang 2018 Special Hotline, ICT-based Service and free Wi-fi and PyeongChang Korail Pass as examples. PyeongChang 3D Figure Spectators KTO implemented a campaign that recruits applicants all over the world who want to be part of the PyeongChang 3D Figure Spectators. 2,018 applicants were chosen and 3D figures resembling them will be displayed as spectators at Imaginary Stadium, the miniature venue of the opening and closing ceremony. Imaginary Stadium will be displayed in major tourist attractions such as Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul so that the applicants visit Korea and see miniature version of themselves rooting for their teams. PyeongChang 2018 Special Hotline KTO plans to operate its 24-hour tour information hotline, 1330 as PyeongChang 2018 Special Hotline until March 18, 2018 to provide useful information service by teaming up 44 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

44 with the PyeongChang Organizing Committee and the local government of Gangwon. International tourists will be able to get information on not only tourist attractions in Korea but also Olympic Games schedules, accommodations, food, transportation, and cultural events near the Olympics venues. ICT-based Service and free Wi-fi 5 types of tour information service based on ICT will be launched in four languages (Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese) so that foreign individual tourists can travel Korea without difficulties. To make this happen KTO has built 460 free wi-fi in 18 cities in Gangwon and is developing integrated tour information service which will be equipped with tour schedule planning, public transportation, maps, menu translation, and real time tour location service. PyeongChang Korail Pass KTO has developed PyeongChang Korail Pass in cooperation with Korail, the national railroad operator, so that international tourists take train as many times as they want during a certain period of time. It is a limited product that comes with various benefits including free city tour coupon. Therefore you might want to make a reservation if you were interested in buying the ticket. Others KTO has also been conducting K-Smile campaign which aims to encourage citizens to be nice to foreign tourists, standardizing names of Korean food in various languages, building sign posts around the host cities, and holding KTO- Gangwon-Organizing Committee joint meeting named PyeongChang Tourism Olympics Meeting. Q3 Mega events like the Winter Olympics are closely related to the tourism industry. How do you expect the PyeongChang 2018 to influence Korea s tourism industry? Mega events like the Olympics are not an ultimate goal but a means to achieve a goal for the tourism sector. Hosting a mega event not only directly affects the host region but also indirectly influences multiple sectors including investment, jobs, infrastructure, hospitality, transportation, destination marketing, etc. Therefore, it is a turning point for a host country or a region to further develop its tourism industry. Ski Jumping Indeed, Korean tourism was remarkably developed by improving tourism infrastructure and the national image when it hosted the big three sports games and other bigscale events in the public and private sectors. Its inbound tourists were only one million in 1978 but soared to 2.34million in 1988 when the Seoul Olympics were held, and then reached 5.34million in 2002 when World Cup was held. PyeongChang 2018 is expected to become a turning point for the Korean tourism to develop in a qualitative way. It has grown significantly with the record high 17million inbound tourists in 2016 but also has pending issues at the same time such as the heavy dependence on certain markets and tourist destinations. Gangwon, the host region of the 2018 Winter Olympics, is beloved by the Koreans as the best summer destination with its crystal clear East Ocean and the magnificent mountains. Even though it has all-year-round tourist attractions and assets including beautiful spring blossoms, fine white sand, crystal clear East Ocean, colorful autumn foliage, and winter sports infrastructure, it has not grown to an international tourist attraction due to lack of infrastructure and poor accessibility. However, the Olympics is a catalyst for Gangwon becoming internationally known and improving its tourist infrastructure including transportation, accommodations, food, etc. Particularly, transportation has improved a lot making the region easily accessible. For example, Japanese Athletics Team has decided to enter the country through Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon and Incheon International Airport s second passenger terminal added with cuttingedge ICT technology opens on January 18, 2018 shortening Issue 45 December

45 providing training venue to other countries athletics teams mostly from South East Asia where winter sports infrastructure and environment are relatively poor. PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Mascot Bandabi & Soohorang waiting times of immigration and baggage claim. Plus, KTX Gyeonggang Line opened on December 22 shortening Seoul to Gangneung travel time to 114 minutes. On top of that, international cruise terminal at Sokcho Port opened on September 21 to accommodate 100,000 ton cruise ships. Recently roads near the port were built as well. These progresses show that the region s infrastructure has phenomenally enhanced for the Olympics. I hope Gangwon becomes an international tourist destination with its tasty food and beautiful sceneries and thus Korea s tourist destinations, which have heavily depended on Seoul, Jeju and Busan, are successfully diversified. In addition, the Olympics is expected to contribute to attracting more tourists from Europe and Americas which have bigger population enjoying winter sports at a time when market diversification is getting important. Q4 The legacy of the Olympics is getting traction all around the world. What are KTO s plans to promote Gangwon-do Province as a tourism destination after the PyeongChang Sochi used to be a summer destination but the number of tourists visiting Sochi during Winter soared to 3million after the 2014 Winter Olympics, which is a 28% increase compared to the previous year. KTO is planning to develop Post Olympics Tourism Strategies converging the region s all-year-round tourist attractions and tangible/intangible assets after the Olympics. The following are the key marketing strategies after the Olympics: developing sports tourism products related to the Olympics and modern cultural contents so called Hallyu (Korean Wave); regularizing mega sports events related to the Olympics infrastructure and Gangwon cultural contents; attracting international conferences by utilizing the region s improved international standing; and To be more specific, KTO has launched 10 Tour Roads of PyeongChang 2018 which introduces themed travel courses in the host cities of the Olympics, PyeongChang, Gangneung, and Jeongseon. It contains seashore full of coffee fragrance, healing in the forest trail of Mt. Odaesan, and Jeonseon tour with Arirang melody. Also, as part of the glocal(global+local) projects which aims to develop global tour products reflected local characteristics, Hello! 2018 PyeongChang has been launched in cooperation with the local government of Gangwon. It introduces the Olympics venues including PyeongChang Promotion Hall and Alpencia Ski Jump Tower. The excitement of the Olympics is expected to continue with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit that KTO will host in Gangneung in May Q5 What do you want to say to UNWTO members and related organizations for the success of PyeongChang 2018? It is my pleasure to have an opportunity to introduce PyeongChang 2018 and Korea as a charming tourist destination to the UNWTO members and related organizations who are leading players in the global tourism industry. Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 contributed to induce harmony despite years-long Cold War. I truly believe that PyeongChang 2018, along with Tokyo Olympics 2020 and Beijing Olympics 2022, would contribute to world peace and prosperity in the North East Asia this time. Your support and interests are imperative to realize sustainable tourism development through mega sports events like the Olympics and expand exchange in the tourism sector among UNWTO members. K-drama, K-pop, and K-movie have been gaining popularity all over the world but I believe that Korea s five thousand year long history, the breathtaking nature that changes each season, and the people s kindness called Jeong in the Korean language are the hidden charms of Korea. PyeongChang 2018 begins on February 9, I would like you to visit Korea during the Olympics to speculate dynamic winter sports games and enjoy various tourist attractions including its cultural heritage and the nature. Above all, I hope you come get to meet Koreans and experience Jeong in person. 46 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

46 Passion. Connected. 하나된열정 Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games 9-25 February 2018 Paralympic Winter Games 9-18 March 2018 PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Issue 45 December

47 Expert Column Regional Tourism Competitiveness Model Chulwon Kim, Ph.D. Kyung Hee University Introduction Interest in tourism competitiveness has stimulated both research studies and tourism policy debates. The review of the literature on tourism competitiveness revealed that none of the models that have been proposed to date are entirely satisfactory. In particular, they do not provide a comprehensive treatment of the various issues surrounding the notion of competitiveness that are being explored in the wider literature and that must be taken into account in developing a comprehensive framework of destination competitiveness (Ritchie and Crouch 2003; Dwyer and Kim 2003; WEF 2015). Ritchie and Crouch (2003) propose that what makes a tourism destination truly competitive is its ability to increase tourism expenditure, to increasingly attract visitors, while providing them with satisfying, memorable experiences, and to do so in a profitable way, while enhancing the well-being of destination residents and preserving the natural capital of the destination for future generations. Meanwhile, Dwyer and Kim (2003) have sought to develop a model and indicators of destination competitiveness that will enable comparison between countries and between tourism sector industries. The development of a model of destination competitiveness and an associated set of indicators will allow identification of the relative strengths and weaknesses of different tourism destinations, and can be used by industry and governments to increase tourism numbers, expenditure and positive economic impacts. Associated with the model is a set of indicators that can be used to measure the competitiveness of any given destination. These indicators, comprising both objective and subjective measures, were identified from the major elements comprising the generic destination competitiveness model. However, developing a model and the indicators of regional tourism competitiveness looks more complicated and a difficult task due to the nature of regional tourism attractiveness. Tourism receptive capacity is very important for developing regional tourism. For example, if there were an unsatisfactory tourism receptive system in a certain region, the region s tourism system would be negatively affected leading to a decreased tourism situation attracting fewer visitors and losing regional tourism attractiveness. In contrary, a region equipped with excellent tourism receptive capacity, the region would generate a virtuous cycle having a positive relationship among elements such as increased desire to visit, attractiveness, enhanced tourism experience quality and a high level of tourism performance. Therefore, it is needed to identify the strong and weak points to be measured in each regions tourism receptive systems. Establishing an objective diagnostic system for regional tourism receptive capacity will assist in gaining a regions competitive advantage in the 48 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

48 Diagnosis & Improvement A Virtuous Cycle System of Sustainable tourism Competitiveness Stagnancy of Growth tourism sector, which will improve tourism demand and tourism experience quality. Arguably, the issue will be related to the establishment of regional tourism competitiveness. The following figure represents the need and the whole process to establish regional tourism competitiveness. business managers in the food and beverage service sectors who play a critical role. "Environment" means environments which happen exogenously, such as political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological environments. Resources" include historical, cultural and natural resources of a country. Secondary sources of competitiveness are comprised of tourism policy, tourism planning, tourism management, tourism investment, and tourism taxation and prices. These factors are the major determinants which decide competitiveness in a tourism sector, and lead to the tertiary and the fourth sources of competitiveness. The tertiary sources include tourism infrastructure, reception systems, the attractiveness of resources, publicity, and the tourism workforce. A region that has rich tertiary sources will attract and satisfy tourists. Therefore, it is expected that the region will have a high position of tourism competitiveness. Fourth sources are tourism demand, tourism employment, tourism performance and tourism exports. As these sources are results of the primary, secondary and tertiary resources, they are the resultant sources of competitiveness. As a microscopic concept, if competitiveness is the productivity of output due to input, the fourth sources of competitiveness will provide a direct indicator by which to compare and evaluate competitiveness as an outcome. The following proposed figure represents the model for four-dimensional sources of competitiveness in the tourism sector. Environment Thus, this article will suggest how to develop a model for regional tourism competitiveness and to identify relevant indicators to be measured. It is recommended to review Kim s (2014) four dimensions of tourism competitiveness that justify this research. Subject Resources Competitiveness Sources of Competitiveness Kim (2014) suggested four dimensions of tourism competitiveness. Firstly, the primary sources of competitiveness are subject, environment and resources. The term "subject" includes politicians, officials, a government that represents an administrative machinery related to tourism, airlines, hotels, travel agents, and The Four-dimensional Sources of Competitiveness in the Tourism Sector This research will focus on input, output, and outcome, representing regional tourism competitiveness. For this work prerequisite information should be considered. Issue 45 December

49 Prerequisites The purpose of developing a regional tourism competitiveness model is to explore the indicators which can identify the characteristics of regional tourism and create sustainable tourism value. Therefore, a regional tourism competitiveness model should be able to provide differentiated competitive strategies to tourism policy makers and tourism service providers through the diagnosis of the tourism destination. It is necessary to contemplate the following points in detail when considering a regional competitiveness model: competitiveness comprises five dimensions, which are 1) Resource Collection that builds and utilizes tourism infrastructure; 2) Value Creation, a creating value through demand promotion and tourism quality management; 3) Policy Implementation, an ability to establish and enforce tourism policy; 4) Inclusive Growth that induces fair tourism growth and; 5) Sustainability, an ability to build sustainable tourism systems. The model considers both the suppliers, the consumers and delineates the well-balanced tourism competitiveness to derive a viable model of regional tourism competitiveness through the logical connection of these five concepts. 1) Factors identified from the demand and supply sides may be all related to regional tourism competitiveness. 2) It is difficult to find an absolute measure regarding competitiveness because regional tourism competitiveness is double-edged, for although it could boost the region s economic environment it could degrade the natural environment. 3) The competitiveness of regional tourism can be viewed from different perspectives by different stakeholders. 4) Regional tourism competitiveness is related to the overall competitiveness of the local tourism sectors, for example, accommodation, transportation (trains, buses, taxis, car rentals, airplanes), food and beverage, travel businesses and conventions etc. 5) Regional tourism competitiveness can be examined at various stages in a geographical analysis. Moreover, regional tourism competitiveness can be examined through various perspectives as regions have their own distinct identities. 6) The proper indicators of regional tourism competitiveness include economic indicators and social indicators which cannot be objectively measured requiring a different approach for each indicators measurement. The econometric method is applied to price competitiveness factors, and a qualitative approach is useful for measuring the visitor s satisfaction and service quality. The regional tourism competitiveness model, considering the above details, provides a framework for developing quantitative and qualitative indicators. It will also suggest criteria for integrating appropriate gauges to measure regional tourism competitiveness. The regional tourism Proposed Definition and Model Five Conceptual Criteria of Regional Tourism Competitiveness Resource Collection Provider Perspectives Input Policy Implementation Stage 1 Current Competitiveness Measuring and identifying the present status of regional tourism competitiveness Value Creation Consumer Perspectives Output Stage 2 Potential Competitiveness From the result of Stage 1, extracting the regional tourism competitiveness potential Inclusive Growth A Virtuous Cycle Reinforcing Regional Tourism Competitiveness Regional Tourism Competitiveness Overall Perspectives Outcome Stage 3 Sustainable Competitiveness From the result of Stage 2, consulting regional tourism identify to make its tourism sustainable Sustainability Capabilities to establish sustainable tourism system and induce inclusive growth through collecting tourism resources, creating tourism values and implementing effective tourism polity in provinces. Five Conceptual Criteria of Regional Tourism Competitiveness 50 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

50 It is reasonable to infer that the five dimensions will build up the relationship between cause and effect in a virtuous circular structure. Furthermore, the five dimensions are divided into key indicators and supplementary indicators. Additionally, when developing supplementary indicators, the size and nature of each region will be deliberately taken into consideration. Thus, regional tourism competitiveness can be defined as capabilities to establish a sustainable tourism system and induce inclusive growth through collecting tourism resources, creating tourism values and implementing effective tourism policies in provinces. To sum up, the following diagram shows that the five conceptual factors to measure regional tourism competitiveness would influence input, output and outcome from supply, demand and overall perspectives respectively in a regional tourism receptive system. They will be divided into three stages including current, potential and sustainable competitiveness which will generate a virtuous cycle of regional tourism competitiveness framework. The model developed here can form the basis for further conceptual and empirical research. Perhaps the major thrust of the required research agenda is to explore the role of demand-side factors in comparing the competitiveness of different regions as tourism destinations. A substantial amount of empirical research is needed to develop suitable measures of regional tourism competitiveness from the viewpoints of different types of stakeholders with their different needs and motivations. A substantial increase in empirical knowledge about the interrelationships between tourism performance and tourism receptive capacity attributes, increased usefulness and applications can increase the regional tourism competitiveness framework of policy-makers and the private sector s stakeholders, which are interested in enhancing regional resident s socioeconomic prosperity through the tourism industry. From its concept, it suggests the regional tourism competitiveness model as the following diagram. It is called Regional Tourism Competitiveness Wheel Model. Resource Collection Current Competitiveness Potential Competitiveness Value Creation Sustainablility Regional Tourism Competitiveness Policy Implementation Inclusive Growth Regional Tourism Competitiveness Wheel Model Issue 45 December

51 Expert Column 2017 High-Level Policy Forum on Tourism Development and Knowledge Sharing Seminar - Conservation of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Resources Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Republic of Korea Tourism ODA and Mutual Growth Official Development Assistance (ODA) primarily aims to eradicate poverty in developing countries by providing technology, infrastructure, consultation, education, etc. Nowadays many donor countries try to implement ODA projects focusing on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are the collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations including poverty eradication, quality education, decent work, economic growth, etc. Korea is a rare case in the world where an ODA recipient transformed itself to a donor. Korea was removed from the recipient list of World Bank in 1995 and joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development s Development Assistance Committee (OECD DAC) in 2010 as a 24th member. As its economy grows, Korea is expected to expand its ODA further High-Level Policy Forum and Seminar Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has implemented tourism ODA projects since There are various types of ODA but KTO mainly carries out consulting and capacity-building projects. 52 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

52 Group Photo of Forum's Participants The Photo of Forum Technical Tour Technical tour 2017 High-Level Policy Forum on Tourism Development and Knowledge Sharing Seminar is its latest capacity-building ODA project. It was held from October 13 to 20, 2017 under the theme of conservation of cultural heritage and tourism resources. 36 government officials of tourism from 13 countries (Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam in alphabetical order) joined the event to study Korea s best cases and share knowledge and thoughts on developing tourism with other participants. cultural heritage. During the High-Level Meeting on October 14, the government officials of tourism from 13 countries shared their countries circumstances and discussed pending issues when it comes to conserving cultural heritage and developing them into tourism resources. The participants joined the Technical Tour from October 14 to 15 after the meeting. They dressed in Hanbok (Korean traditional clothes) and looked around Changdeokgung Palace, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Korea. They also tried writing Hangeul (Korean Alphabet), making gold leaf printing and learning Taekwondo (Korean traditional martial arts) in Namsangol Hanok Village in Seoul High-Level Policy Forum on Tourism Development and Knowledge Sharing Seminar consisted of policy forum, highlevel meeting, knowledge sharing seminar and technical tours/field trips. To kick-start the event, a high-level policy forum was held on October 13 in Seoul. The Forum was open to the public as well and approximately 150 attendees joined the event to learn about the importance of conserving The Knowledge Sharing Seminar, which was held from October 16 to 20, was for working-level government officials to share their thoughts with other participants and professionals and come up with concrete strategies on developing tourism resources while conserving their cultural heritage. The Seminar consisted of lectures, field trips, and action plan workshop. Participants attended lectures given Issue 45 December

53 Action Plan Workshop by professionals in multiple fields such as cultural heritage, international festival, medical tourism, and visited sites related to the contents of the lectures. They visited Andong, Gyeongsang Province, which is known for the conservation of Korean traditions. They also visited Andong Hahoe Folk Village and learned about the traditional Mask dance. They also had an hands-on experience in making Gochujang (red chili paste) and spent one night at a Korean traditional house. A representative from Paraguay said the Paraguayan delegates were grateful for winning the first place of Action Plan Awards after several sleepless nights of preparing for the workshop. She also added that they hope to participate in KTO s ODA projects again. The Action Plan Workshop, which was held on October 20, the last day of the program, 27 government officials from the 13 countries finalized their action plans on developing cultural heritage into tourism resources based on the draft and feedback that they had received from the group of consultants before the program commenced. Representatives of each country delivered presentations and 6 countries won awards for the best action plans. 54 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

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55 Griffith University A Beautiful Island with Pure Air Assessing Beauty of the Great Barrier Reef using Eyetracking Eyetracking Equipment About Griffith University Griffith University is a public research university in South East Queensland on the east coast of Australia. It began teaching in 1975, introducing Australia's first degrees in environmental science and Asian studies. Being deeply connected to Asia the University is socially conscious, environmentally aware, an integral part of the community and heavily industry focused. Griffith ranks in the top 3% of universities worldwide. Griffith University is an Official Partner of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. The University contains four academic groups: Arts, Education and Law, Griffith Business School, Griffith Health, and Griffith Sciences. The University is a global leader in hospitality, leisure, sports and tourism. In the 2017 QS World University Subject Rankings the Hospitality and Leisure Management subjects were ranked No. 1 in Australia and No. 9 globally, and our Politics and International Studies and Sports-related subjects ranked in the Top 100 worldwide. Tourism is one of 12 Areas of Strategic Investment across the University. The Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) To further build its capacity for world-leading tourism research, in 2014, the University established the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT). GIFT s mission is to undertake and disseminate world-leading research in tourism to affect an academic and external impact. The Institute seeks to develop and foster international collaborations and provide support to members to achieve research excellence and research with high industry and policy relevance. GIFT is the largest research institute for tourism in Australia: it has 26 full-time researchers and 25 academic members from tourism and a variety of other tourism-related disciplines, such as technology, environmental sciences and aviation. There are also 41 researchers contributing to the research capacity at the Institute. GIFT researchers work with internal partners across the University, including the Climate Change Response Program, Cities Research Institute, Tourism Confucius Institute, Griffith Big Data Lab and the Griffith Film School. Moreover, GIFT maintains a close partnership with industry partners and Government, both in Australia and internationally. 56 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

56 Communication with Industry Austraila Awards Indonesia Participant 2017 Australia Awards Indonesia Short Course Participants 2017 Each year, GIFT undertakes some internationally important research and training projects. For example, GIFT is conducting a project for the Australian National Environmental Science Program entitled Monitoring aesthetic value of the Great Barrier Reef by using artificial intelligence to score photos and videos. The Great Barrier Reef a UNESCO World Heritage site for multiple reasons, including its outstanding heritage value that includes significant aesthetic characteristics. Aesthetic values, like ecological values, are under multiple pressures and a better understanding of how beauty can be measured, and how environmental changes affect aesthetic value is imperative. Focusing on the underwater landscapes of the Reef, this research uses advanced technology to elicit what environmental and experiential attributes contribute to aesthetic value. A Big Data platform using artificial intelligence is being created to assess large volumes of visitor-supplied imagery and to map aesthetic value. Pacific. Between 2015 and 2017, GIFT has conducted Australia Awards Indonesia Short Courses on Sustainable Tourism for Regional Growth involving a total of 80 participants. The purpose of these short courses is to improve the sustainable tourism sector in Indonesia, develop linkages between tourism operators, enhance businessplanning processes, and contribute to economic growth. These courses involve a pre-course workshop in Indonesia; a two or three-week study program in North Queensland and the Gold Coast; and a post-course again in Indonesia. These Australia Awards Indonesia Short Courses are funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and facilitated by staff from GIFT and the University of the Sunshine Coast. Further information about GIFT projects can be obtained from Sustainable Tourism for Regional Growth GIFT also provides training on sustainable tourism development to government and industry in Asia and the Issue 45 December

57 Affiliate Member Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies Residency Building, Thycaud P.O., Thiruvananthapuram - 14 Administrative Block Headquarters, Trivandrum About Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS) The Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS), under Dept. of Tourism, Government of Kerala, established in 1988 to impart quality education and training in the field of tourism, travel and hospitality. For the past twentynine years, the Institute has dedicated itself to catering to the human resource requirements of the industry as well as offering orientation and refresher programs for the professionals of the travel industry and capacity building programs for various stakeholders. Under the able leadership of its Chairman, the Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala, Vice Chairman, Principal Secretary for the Tourism, Government of Kerala and Dr. Rajashree Ajith, Director, KITTS, the Institute has over the years accrued achievements and professional affiliations at the national and international level. Located in the Capital City of Kerala Thiruvananthapuram the headquarters of the Institute and has study centers at Ernakulam and Malayatoor in Ernakulam district, at Thalassery in Kannur district and Thrissur district. National and International Affiliations The Kerala Institute maintains networks and linkages with national and international organizations to ensure professionalism and skill development in tourism of international standards. The major industry linkages and a network of the institutes are listed below: Affiliate member of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Member in the Knowledge Network of UNWTO Vice President of Affiliate Member Board of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in South 58 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

58 Academic Block, Trivandrum Asia Region Kerala Chapter of International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Member of Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development (ITRHD) Industry-Education member of PATA Allied Member of Indian Association of Tour Operators(IATO) Member of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society Certified for the quality system by the standard ISO 9001:2008 Authorized Learning Centre of IATA Member of the depository library and e-library of UNWTO. Academic and Training Programs of KITTS The two years full-time MBA Travel and Tourism approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and affiliated to University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram is a flagship program of KITTS. In the BBA Tourism Management course of KITTS became affiliated with the University of Kerala. In addition to this, the Institute offers short-term industry demand driven courses related to tourism and hospitality sectors. KITTS is also the nodal agency for implementing various projects and programs of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India as well as Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala. KITTS is actively involved in human resource development that is much needed to travel, tourism and hospitality industry in the state of Kerala as well as in the Issue 45 December

59 International Training Centre, Trivandrum country. KITTS is also undertaking various research, training and consultancy services for the Department of Tourism and other travel and tourism organizations. National and International agencies have recognized KITTS Sustainable Development of Tourism activities. As part of promoting sustainable development of tourism, KITTS has brought significant outcomes in the field of Responsible Tourism practices across the State (as the nodal agency for implementing Responsible Tourism initiatives for the Government of Kerala). As part of the Responsible Tourism initiatives, KITTS was given the responsibility to interact with the local population in the destination and design and develop project and programs which can effectively address poverty and development in rural areas. The Responsible Tourism initiative at Kumarakom won the prestigious UNWTO Ulysses Award for innovation in Public Policy and Governance in In addition to this, the project received 3 International Awards and 7 National Awards. Apart from the tourism education, today, KITTS is extending its service to the tourism community at different levels. For achieving the mission of promoting sustainable development of tourism, KITTS has launched Center for Eco-tourism (CET) and Center for Responsible Tourism (CRT) at its Headquarters at Thiruvananthapuram as two specialized wings for promoting the Sustainable Development of Tourism. The Center for Eco-tourism is taking care of Eco-tourism and community-based tourism initiatives while the Center for Responsible Tourism is dealing with the Responsible Tourism initiatives of the Department of Tourism, and the Government of Kerala. Center for Ecotourism (CET) Center for Eco-tourism (CET) of KITTS has been undertaking various research and capacity building programs related to the development of eco-tourism in the state as well as other parts of India. The vision of the Center for Ecotourism of KITTS is to assist the eco-tourism initiatives of Directorate of Eco-tourism, Government of Kerala to ensure sustainable livelihoods for the dependent community members and conserve the resources for future use. The Center for Eco-tourism of KITTS is imparting training to the members of Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) and Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS). Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC) and other marginalized community members living in and around eco-tourism destinations are The institute has succeeded in developing various successful models focusing on agriculture, traditional industry, art forms, local knowledge, culture etc. that ultimately strengthen sustainable development in rural areas. The institute at present has an international training center and encourages tourism academicians to undertake case studies, projects and programs related to travel, tourism and the hospitality sector at the national and international level. Celebration of World Tourism Day UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

60 the groups focused on by the Center for Eco-tourism. The two months Naturalist / Interpreters Certificate Course The Two Months Naturalist / Interpreters Certificate Course, is designed by Center for Eco-tourism of KITTS to strengthen the skills and knowledge of members of Eco- Development Committees (EDCs) and Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS) working at eco-tourism destinations at Kerala. Bird watching techniques, conduct of trekking, tourist relation management, handling various equipment and devices, preparation of ethnic and local specific delicacy, waste treatment, health management and conservation of resources etc are the major curriculum of this program. Learn Live Lead Learn Live Lead is an initiative of the Center for Ecotourism of KITTS focusing on selected indigenous community members working at identified ecotourism destinations in the State. The program aims to provide a permanent platform for those community members to learn lessons for developing their skills, applying those skills to their jobs and becoming leaders for other members in their respective areas. At present, this program is being conducted for the identified indigenous community members of the eco-tourism program at Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala. The Management Development Program on Eco-tourism, Community Resource Mapping, Evaluation of Eco-Tourism Destinations etc., are the major projects Center for Ecotourism of KITTS. The thirty identified EDC/VSS members from various ecotourism destinations of Kerala were trained in under two months through a Naturalists and Interpreters Course conducted at Ernakulam during by KITTS in association with the Directorate of Eco-tourism and the Government of Kerala. The Center for Eco-tourism had trained six-hundred Scheduled Caste candidates from various eco-tourism destinations of the State under the Two Months Naturalists and Interpreters Course in association with Scheduled Caste Development Department (SCDD), Government of Kerala during Further to this, training has been given to twenty-five Scheduled Caste candidates under the Two Month Naturalists and Interpreters course at Wayanad in association with SCDD, Government of Kerala during As part of the Learn Live Lead program at the Center for Ecotourism of KITTS, the identified EDC/VSS members of Munnar Wildlife Division has been given hands-on training on craft making, food processing, bird watching techniques, customer relationship management and hospitality sectors in a phased manner since Trained Candidates under Learn-Live-Lead Programme of Centre for Ecotourism During the training programme Learn-Live-Lead Programme of Centre for Ecotourism Issue 45 December

61 Library, KITTS Center for Responsible Tourism (CRT) This Center was established with the declared objective of conducting specific courses, Management Development Programs, Summer Schools, Seminars, Symposiums, Training Programs, Material Production, Research activities that are related to Responsible Tourism. All of the academic, research and training activities of the Responsible Tourism initiative will be carried out from RT school at KITTS under the Center for Responsible Tourism. The Center for Responsible Tourism is also operating as the Kerala Chapter of the International Center for Responsible Tourism (ICRT). Research studies on Responsible Tourism at the destination level and Internship Programs for Post Graduate Students have already commenced. A team from KITTS was able to participate at the International Conclave on Responsible Tourism organized by Outlook Traveller in December 2015 and 2016 in New Delhi and presented the Kerala Responsible Tourism initiative. The Center also started organic vegetable farming on campus to showcase sustainable farming practices and has secured the award for the Best Public Institution for the Vegetable Development Project of the Department of Agriculture Development and Farmer Welfare in KITTS also received the first place prize under the public sector category for the Onam Pageantry 2015 showcasing a Responsible Tourism theme. KITTS Knowledge Center KITTS publish a bi-annual journal publication, Indian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management. The computerized KITTS Library stacks more than 8000 books on tourism, travel and hospitality management and focuses more on subscribing top-ranked international tourism and travel journals, e-journals, electronic databases etc. As a member of e-library of United Nations World Tourism Organization, all of the publications of the UNWTO are available electronically in their library. The Way Forward With 30 years of excellence in the field of sustainable tourism practices, educational and research programs in the field of travel, tourism and hospitality sector, KITTS continues its long voyage to produce meaningful footprints in the hearts of tourism community. 62 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

62 Affiliate Member Chimelong Group Chimelong Safari Park Introduction of Chimelong Group The Chimelong Group, founded in 1989, is a conglomeration of theme parks, luxury hotels, commercial exhibitions, food services, entertainment and leisure enterprises. It is one of the flagships of the Chinese tourism industry. The Guangzhou Chimelong Tourist Resort is the Chimelong Group s first integrated themed tourist resort. This huge resort has China s largest number of theme parks, including first-class establishments such as the Chimelong Safari Park, the Chimelong Paradise, the Chimelong Water Park, the Chimelong International Circus, the Chimelong Hotel, the Panda Hotel and the Chimelong Birds Park. Recognized as a Cultural Industry Demonstration Base, a Scientific Education Base and one of the first National AAAAA Tourist Attractions and with over 10 million visitors per year, Chimelong is at the forefront of themed resorts, and has become a national benchmark for the global tourism industry. Chimelong Fireworks Chimelong Hengqin Bay Chimelong Circus Issue 45 December

63 Chimelong Rollercoaster Chimelong Bird Park Gaming in Macau, Recreational Tourism in Hengqin The Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort, located in Hengqin New District, a national-level district adjacent to Macao, is another high-grade tourist resort funded and built by the Chimelong Group. It is a conglomeration of theme parks, luxury hotels, commercial exhibitions, and tourist sites, as well as offering shopping, sports and leisure facilities. Among the attractions already completed are the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, the Chimelong Hengqin Bay Hotel, the Chimelong Penguin Hotel, the Chimelong Circus Hotel, the Chimelong Ying Hai Hotel and Apartments, and the Chimelong Hengqin International Circus. These key facilities complement the existing attractions of Macau, and have created a trend for Gaming in Macau, Recreational Tourism in Hengqin. The image of Zhuhai as a tourist city has been further enhanced to make it China s third most globally appealing tourist destination after Hong Kong and Macau. It is now an international tourist destination in its right, and an important pillar of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai- Macau Golden Tourist Triangle. The Qingyuan Chimelong International Forest Resort Project On November 8, 2013 a signing ceremony was held in honor of the framework agreement for the Qingyuan Chimelong International Forest Resort (National Ex-situ Conservation Base for Endangered Wild Plants and Animals) Project in Qingyuan. Chimelong Group will invest heavily in the project to build a world-class forest tourism complex. It will be the Chimelong Group s third tourist complex after the Guangzhou Chimelong Tourist Resort and the Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort. 64 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

64 Sustainable Tourism Symposium, Toyo University News from UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Symposium Tokyo, Japan, 22 September 2017 Overview On the occasion of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific located in Nara, Japan, hosted a special lecture at Toyo University under the theme: Aiming Toward Sustainable Tourism. The symposium gathered more than 370 attendees, including local tourism leaders, private sector and academia. It was presided over by special guests, including Mr. Xu Jing, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO, Dr. Michael Frenzel, UNWTO Special Ambassador of IY2017, and Professor Graham Miller, University of Surrey, United Kingdom, and Distinguished University Professor and Deputy Director, Center for Tourism Research, Wakayama University, Japan. Program The symposium began with opening remarks by Mr. Yoshiaki Hompo, Chief, UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific; Mr. Shinji Fukukawa, Chairman, Toyo University, and Mr. Satoru Mizushima, Vice-Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), Ministry of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Mr. Xu Jing, Regional Program Director for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO, set the scene by underlining the importance of the International Year (IY) as a unique opportunity for everyone in the tourism sector to come together to promote the many contributions of tourism which can pave the way for a better future for people and planet. Over the course of the present year, he added, the UNWTO has developed several initiatives to facilitate the promotion of the IY celebrations and dissemination of the Issue 45 December

65 Dr. Michael Frenzel, UNWTO Special Ambassador to IY2017 Mr. Yoshiaki Hompo, Chief of UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific year s objectives and key areas, including an International Year-Steering Committee composed of member states, governments, private sector, NGOs and academia; secured over 60 sponsorships and partnerships, and has designated ten Special Ambassadors. UNWTO has also launched its first consumer-oriented campaign: Travel. Enjoy. Respect. and is preparing a flagship publication on tourism and development, among other activities. In closing, Mr. Xu Jing extended an invitation to the attendees to continue to engage in the celebrations and to help spread the word about the role of tourism in sustainable development beyond Dr. Michael Frenzel, UNWTO Special Ambassador of IY2017, shared a snapshot of the latest data and highlighted the continuous growth in international tourist arrivals over the past seven years. UNWTO s forecast expects the number of tourist arrivals to continue to grow at a 3.3% rate until Tourism continues to be a job generator across the globe accounting for one in every ten jobs across the globe, and continues to outpace many other leading economic sectors, he further noted. Nonetheless, growth originates new opportunities but also some challenges. Dr. Frenzel cautioned that tourism, if not sustainably managed, has the potential to be a major destructor not only environmentally, but culturally and socially. Other challenges threatening the sector include safety and security from natural and human-made disasters, travel restrictions, climate change, overcrowded destinations, accessibility restrictions, economic leakages, etc. For us, travel & tourism is more than economics. It is also a force for good, he stated. Tourism also has the opportunity to bring people together; to foster mutual understanding, and to build bridges and encourage tolerance and respect. Furthermore, tourism can be a contributor to nature and wildlife conservation and preservation, and it can certainly contribute to the achievement of the global agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The last speaker, Professor Graham Miller, emphasized the need for a more data-driven approach to tourism and the need to look beyond the primary economic focus of data and consider all other aspects of sustainability such as distribution, social impact, poverty alleviation, etc. 66 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

66 Mr. Xu Jing, Regional Director of Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO Professor Miller further stressed the need to collaborate and to share data among tourism practitioners, and to take a more in-depth and sophisticated approach to understanding, which would allow for possible identification of data gaps and issues that have yet to be addressed by the current approaches. Ultimately, if we know what we are doing, through measurement and investment in collecting data, then we will be more efficient and effective, he concluded. Prof. Graham Miller, University of Surrey, UK Professor Miller at Toyo University Issue 45 December

67 Student group at IY Booth News from UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development Booth September 2017, Tokyo Big Sight As part of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (IY) and coinciding with the Tourism EXPO Japan 2017 held under the overarching theme of New Opportunities for Sustainable Destinations - Japan and the World, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific, in collaboration with UNWTO Affiliate Members, exhibited the IY booth at the Travel Showcase from September The IY Booth served two primary purposes: 1) to offer a platform for tourism leaders and UNWTO Affiliate Member University students to discuss sustainable tourism development through a series of short lectures, and 2) for students to disseminate UNWTO information regarding the IY as well as the role of tourism in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Universities Joint Seminar UNWTO Affiliate Members conducted a series of 1-hour lectures related to their respective efforts toward sustainable tourism. Day one lectures included presentations by Mr. Shuichi Kameyama, Special Advisor for Tourism, Sports and Mega Events, UNWTO, who shared a brief background on the designation of the IY by the United Nations General Assembly as well as UNWTO s objectives and activities for the year. The next speaker, Mr. Ryo Ito, Senior Assistant Manager, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) presented Japan s marketing initiatives aimed toward resilient inbound tourism as well as how to utilize sustainable tourism as a revitalization tool for communities affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in Lastly, Mr. Hakuhiko Ishii, Director, All Nippon Airways Co., LTD (ANA) presented on inbound tourism promotion and regional revitalization efforts by ANA. 68 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

68 Student presentation at IY Booth All Nippon Airways Co., LTD Presentation Japan National Tourism Organization presenting at IY Booth JATA Presentation Kyoto University Presentation Mr. Hompo visiting IY Booth Ms. Maya Matsuoka, Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), opened day two presentations by sharing global tourism trends, and a briefing on JATA s primary functions and activities related to the IY. Mr. Kameyama conducted a second lecture focusing on sports tourism, trends and opportunities in such a niche market. Lastly, Dr. Akihiro Sato and Mr. Tomoki Iida, Kyoto University, discussed their initiatives related to big data and tourism. During the final day, Mr. Kameyama highlighted the importance of incorporating sustainable practices and policies into the overall strategy and organization of mega events. Lastly, tourism students from UNWTO Affiliate Member, Wakayama University -Mr. Naohiro Murata, Ms. Marika Endo, Ms. Aine Wakutani, Ms. Honami Kano, and Ms. Yukina Hattori- presented their initiative related to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET). These students believe it is critical for the younger generations to comprehend the GCET and to recognize their role as future tourism stakeholders in the achievement of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Consequently, the student group created a simplified version of the UNWTO GCET for children to comprehend its content and apply it as they become the next travel generation. Promotion Activities of IY2017 In addition to the lecture series, the IY Booth provided an opportunity for Wakayama and Kyoto University students to engage with Travel Showcase visitors by sharing additional information on activities related to the IY. The students disseminated UNWTO publications such as the Tourism Highlights 2017, UNWTO s A Roadmap for Celebrating Together and Tips for a Responsible Traveller, now available in Japanese. Lastly, the booth included a display of sustainable tourism poster winners from the recent poster competition organized by Nikaten, one of Japan s largest competitive art exhibitions as well as the broadcasting of the Travel.Enjoy.Respect video as well as the Hello Kitty video on how to become a responsible traveler. Mr. Xu Jing meeting students at IY Booth Issue 45 December

69 Booth Exhibition Hall News from UNWTO Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific Tourism EXPO Japan September 2017, Tokyo Big Sight With a new and shorter name, Tourism EXPO Japan took place on September, at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan. Attended by 191,500 people from both the travel trade and general public, the EXPO proved once again to be one of the most substantial travel trade events. It was held by the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), the Japan Travel and Tourism Association (JTTA), and this year for the first time by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Tourism EXPO Japan is Asia s largest and one of the world s most substantial travel and tourism events for trade and public. This year s theme Modern Travel: Visit. Participate. Enjoy. reflected on the efforts of the travel industry to work and sustainably develop the industry while looking for new tour contents and travel experiences. The 191,500 exhibitors and visitors who filled Tokyo Big Sight over the four days, enjoyed stage and in-booth performances, wine tastings, seminars, talk shows, virtual and real first-hand experiences. This year again, people of all generations came to the show, with parents bringing their young children, students, and seniors, everybody looking for a place to visit and actively enjoy. The 1,310 exhibitors who came from 130 countries and regions, and 47 Japanese prefectures exhibited at 2,130 booths, turning the EXPO into a festive event celebrating the development of the travel industry and the human yearning to travel, learn and live in peace. The Global Tourism Forum On the first day of Tourism EXPO Japan 2017, the insightful comments of the keynote speakers provided a platform to discuss Sustainable Tourism for Development at the Ministerial Round Table. 70 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

70 Tourism EXPO Japan Organizers Stage of First Ministerial Round Table The 1 st Ministerial Round Table in Collaboration with World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Coinciding with the celebration of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 18 Ministers and heads of international tourism organizations attended the First Ministerial Round Table in collaboration with the UNWTO focusing on Sustainable Tourism for Development. The travel and tourism sector has grown to account for 7% of worldwide exports; one in ten jobs, and represents 10% of the world s GDP thanks in part to the support of central and local governments. Ministers of 14 countries and four chief executive officers of international tourism organizations shared their professional and state experiences, achievements and goals in the five key areas of inclusive and sustainable economic growth. These areas included social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction; resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; cultural values, diversity and heritage; and mutual understanding, peace and security. The first ever Ministerial Round Table offered an opportunity to discuss how to maximize tourism s contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Japan Tourism Award The inauguration of the Japan Tourism Award started with the purpose of contributing to the development and expansion of the tourism industry by recognizing superior sustainable initiatives by Japanese and overseas groups, organizations and corporations. Under the framework of this recognition and the Japan Tourism Award, for a third time, the Japan Tourism Award for Responsible Tourism in collaboration with UNWTO was presented to the National Industrial Tourism Promotion Council (NITPC) for this initiative Industry becomes Tourism Recourse. Under the initiative, the NITPC has focused on popularizing initiatives and activities which increase the number of local citizens interacting with visitors. WTTC Networking Reception More than 160 executives from the public and private tourism sectors attended the reception held under the patronage of WTTC Chairman, Mr. Gerald Lawless, and JATA Chairman & WTTC Vice Chairman, Mr. Hiromi Tagawa. Despite the long day, the participants enjoyed chatting over a variety of drinks and tastefully presented food, reinforcing their business relations and contacts. The mood evolved into a festive expectation as company presidents and executive officers moved to the venues of the two welcome receptions themed Japan and World., respectively. Issue 45 December

71 Welcome Reception Minister, Mr. Keiichi Ishii, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism Welcome Reception Japan & Welcome Reception World As the day advanced, the Japan and World receptions welcomed representatives of both inbound and outbound travel industry. The Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency, Mr. Akihiko Tamura greeted the guests at Welcome Reception Japan as the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Mr. Keiichi Ishii greeted guests at the Welcome Reception World. Both reception venues were set for networking and presenting multiple opportunities for meeting partners and creating new contacts. Gracefully presented dishes and drinks from all over the world, and a fascinating succession of Japanese and overseas performing artists on stage helped the guests enjoy the receptions until their very end. The Asian Tourism Leaders Forum With the climb of the travel and tourism industry as one of the leading GDP contributors and job providers globally, the third Asian Tourism Leaders Forum set the spotlight on sustainable tourism business. The participants discussed case studies of initiatives supporting sustainable economic effects and community development in travel destinations. They emphasized the need to look for development strategies which generate employment in local areas. The forum also highlighted the understanding that involving local communities and businesses is a major stepping stone for sustainable business development. Taking into consideration environmental, socio-economic and cultural factors, helps identify the challenges and work towards inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Business Meetings and Tourism Professional Seminars The Business Meetings this year saw a record number of participants as sellers and buyers in inbound and outbound travel met to discuss business opportunities and strengthen their business partnerships. As the Key Persons List was released beforehand to the registered participants in the meetings, they could arrange additional meetings for the third and fourth days of the exhibition. More practical than before, this year s business meetings saw a better satisfaction rate among both buyers and sellers than previous years. This year, for the first time, there was a designated space and time for land operators business meeting, as the organizers strived to further advance the EXPO as an international platform for B2B networking and business relations. As a result, 6,886 business negotiations took place over the course of the EXPO. 72 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

72 This year again, more than 30 professional seminars ensured that travel industry professionals could get the latest updates on travel destinations and attractions. Tourism EXPO Japan General Public Days From September general public days exhibitors showcased their destinations and services by allowing visitors to virtually experience destinations, in addition to the first-hand activities, foods, and drinks. Children enjoyed entertainment at many stands with games, stamp rallies and face-painting art sessions. Again, as exhibitors and visitors of all generations gathered to acknowledge their love for travel, the six exhibition halls turned into a vivid cosmos where music, dance, languages and pictures from all parts of the world blended to create an irresistible festive mood. The World Food Courts never failed to deliver. Flavors of faraway countries and regions teased the passersby while chefs prepared their national dishes and offered them to those who spared time for a short gourmet experience. Again, Tourism EXPO Japan provided food for the hungry eyes and hearts of travel-lovers from both Japan and overseas by showcasing not only well-established but also still little-known destinations. The UNWTO was present with a stand attended by students of leading Japanese universities who wholeheartedly promoted the goals of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development and the Travel. Enjoy. Respect campaign. Tourism EXPO Japan 2017 proved once again to be an indispensable stepping stone for the advancement of the travel industry and also a vital tool in promoting travel destinations and products on both B2B and B2C basis. For more information, please contact Ms. Etsuko Ishii e-ishii@t-expo.jp Business meeting Issue 45 December

73 Conferences and Meetings Month Date Conferences and Meetings Location January February FITUR (International Tourism Trade Fair) Madrid, Spain UNWTO Workshop on Tourism for Development Pakistan 2-3 International Conference on Tourism and Snow Culture Yamagata, Japan TBC Ambassador s Luncheon for Asia and the Pacific Madrid, Spain March TBC TBC 12 th UNWTO Asia-Pacific Executive Training Program on Tourism Policy and Strategy Workshop on Product Development and Marketing and Tourism Destinations Branding India Bangladesh May International Mayor s Forum 2018 Zhengzhou, China KOTFA 2018 Seoul, Republic of Korea June th UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA, and Regional Seminar on Wildlife Tourism and Climate Change Fiji TBC UNWTO Conference on Gastronomy Tourism Thailand * Please refer unsettled date and detailed information on UNWTO Asia-Pacific s website ( January, Madrid, Spain 2-3 Yamagata, Japan 2018 FITUR (International Tourism Trade Fair) FITUR 2018 scheduled from January in Madrid, Spain. The FITUR is a global meeting point for tourism professionals and the leading trade fair for inbound and outbound Ibero American markets. In 2017 the last year, 9,893 exhibiting companies from 165 countries/regions, 135,858 trade participants and 107,213 visitors from the general public had participated in the fair. With the more information on the FITUR 2018 can be found at UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Snow Culture The UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and Snow Culture aims to continue the momentum and to contribute to the objectives of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by providing a platform to discuss best practices for the sustainable development and promotion of tourism related to snow experiences and winter traditions. Also, the participants will exchange ideas on how to foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth for host communities, and identify ways to utilize resources efficiently. 74 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

74 14-17 June, Seoul, Korea 12 th UNWTO Asia-Pacific Executive Training Program on Tourism Policy and Strategy The 12 th UNWTO Asia Pacific Executive Training Program on Tourism Policy and Strategy will be held in India. The UNWTO has been conducting this annual highlevel executive training program since 2006 with ten years of strong support from the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK). 30 th UNWTO Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA, and Regional Seminar on Wildlife Tourism and Climate Change The 30 th Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA, and regional Seminar on Wildlife Tourism and Climate Change will be held in Fiji. The Joint Commission Meeting CAP and CSA is UNWTO s principal annual event in the Asia Pacific Region, attended last year by over 60 representatives from the UNWTO Member States and more than 30 UNWTO Affiliate Members and numerous international and regional organizations. This year, Wildlife Tourism and Climate Change will be discussed. International Mayor s Forum 2018 The 2018 International Mayor s Forum on Tourism (IMFT) Zhengzhou, China jointly organized by the China National Tourism Administration, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the People s Government of Henan Province, will be held in Zhengzhou, Henan Province from May 25 to May 27, IMFT 2018 will bring together the knowledge and experience from mayors of worldwide tourism cities as well as experts from international organizations through a series of related activities, including the IMFT Conference and the International Tourism Cities' Show, to explore the role of tourism in accelerating the interaction between cities. KOTFA 2018 The Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA), with its 33 years history and this year the KOTFA will be held from 14 to 17 June, It is the largest international travel fair in Korea where 70 countries are participating in promoting their tourism resources and cultures. The KOTFA will be supporting to strengthen the competitiveness of the tourism industry in Korea by combining inbound, outbound and intra-bound tourism and providing a marketplace for the mutual relationship among tourism businesses at home and abroad. Issue 45 December

75 Asia Pacific News Brief picture-highres share-highres tag-highres Winner of UNWTO Travel Competition announced The travellers competition closed with 2,400 submissions and one lucky winner: Katie Diederichs, who will be embarking on an unforgettable trip across six different countries to tell the world how tourism can make a positive change. Three weeks after being launched, the Travellers Competition closed with 2,400 submissions. All eligible entries received were judged based on creativity and originality, adherence to theme and digital engagement and social influence of participants. Four years ago, Katie and her husband quit their comfortable 9-to-5 jobs and set off on an adventure that hasn t yet ended. From backpacking in South America to trekking to Everest Base Camp to living as expats in Asia, they ve been privileged to experience many cultures around the world. During our wanderings, I ve learned that tourism is a powerful thing. Katie said in her submission. She also added There are ways both big and small that every traveler can lessen the footprint they leave. My passion is educating others and myself about how we can travel more sustainably. Katie will be embarking on the 24th of November on a journey across the world that will be supported by Explore WorldWide, an adventure travel group offering a wide range of activities and experiences with a commitment to responsible travel and a pinch of Explore spirit Katie will be visiting sustainable tourism projects in Colombia, Germany, Mexico, the United Arab Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah and the Léman region in Switzerland, all partners of the initiative. Together with her life and travel partner, she manages the website, Two Wandering Soles, focused on ethical travel for people on all budgets. With 35,000+ monthly visitors and a growing following on social media, Katie would make a fantastic representative of a responsible traveler that people from all walks of life can relate to. The jury of the competition comprised Sandra Carvao, Chief of Communications and Publications at UNWTO, Sofia Panayiotaki, Founder and CEO, PR MEDIACO and John Tefler, Interim Managing Director at Explore Worldwide. Source) 76 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

76 2018 Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang, South Korea Olympic Winter Games 2018 in PyungChang The XXIII Olympic Winter Games will be held for 17 days from 9 to 25 February 2018 in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, the Republic of Korea. PyeongChang was selected as the host city of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games after receiving a majority vote at the 123rd IOC Session held on 6 July 2011 after three consecutive bids. The Olympic Winter Games will be held in Korea for the first time in 30 years after the Seoul Olympic Games in PyeongChang will be the stage for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and most snow sports. Alpine speed events will take place in Jeongseon, and all ice sports will compete in the coastal city of Gangneung. The vision of the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games is new horizons which include the following. a. Cultural New Horizons: Prosperity of new culture where tradition blends with international culture b. Environmental New Horizons: Establishing environmental and industrial infrastructure to lead green growth c. Geographical New Horizons: Expanding the horizons beyond borders with a stage open for communication between South and North Korea and with the world d. Economic New Horizons: Host City reinstated as a major pillar underpinning the national economy by reinventing economic structure with added value The world s best athletes will compete on Asia s center stage to launch New Horizons in winter sports and create a sustainable legacy for Gangwon Province and the Republic of Korea. Also, the Olympics, which will open the new horizon, will be held under the slogan Passion.Connected. Passion.Connected refers to a world in which everyone is connected with a shared passion for winter sports, a world open to any generation anywhere, anytime, to open new horizons in the continued growth of winter sports. Source : Asia Pacific Forecast as as Leader in the Global Yacht Charter Market Global Yacht Charter Market A report by Transparency Market Research (TMR) forecasts the global market for yacht charters to register a 7.2% CAGR during the period between 2017 and 2025 to attain a value of US$14.987bn by 2025 from US$8.123bn in Volume-wise, it predicts the market to grow to 7,684 units from 6,054 units in 2016 by clocking a healthy 7.2% CAGR. The report notes, A noticeable trend in the market is the rising demand for luxury yachts due to the increasing wealth of people. Thus, improving disposable incomes is likely to have a positive influence on the global market. The emergence of high net worth individuals and growing demand for holidaying is also expected to open up several opportunities for the global market shortly. Also, the report states Rising disposable incomes brings about maximum growth in the Asia Pacific market. From a geographical standpoint, the global market for yacht charters was dominated by Europe in The revenue in the region was US$1.957bn in In the years ahead too, the region is predicted to retain its leading share in the market by rising at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2017 to North America trails Europe vis-à-vis market share and both the regions held about half the share in the global market in Regarding growth rate, on the other hand, Asia Pacific is forecasted to outpace all others by clocking a CAGR of 8.0% on the back of increasing charter destinations, rising disposable incomes, and improved availability of yachts. Some of the popular yacht chartering destinations in Asia Pacific, include Thailand, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Source : Issue 45 December

77 Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific (RPAP) Research Educating visitors and residents about sustainable practices, upholding environmental purity and biological diversity (often key contributing factors to a destination s appeal) and forging sustainable livelihoods for communities is important for tourism sustainability. On the other hand, poor tourism governance may lead to physical destruction and loss of amenities, damage habitats and accelerate reductions in biodiversity, worsening pollution, drive resource consumption and competition, contribute to climate change, involve limited community engagement and benefit, and create areas of overdevelopment. Managing Growth and Sustainable Tourism Governance in Asia and the Pacific Managing Growth and Sustainable Tourism Governance in Asia and the Pacific Did you know? International tourist arrivals to Asia and the Pacific grew by an unprecedented 7% in 2016 and have been registering an above-average growth of 6.4% in the past decade while the global average growth was 3.9%. International tourist arrivals to Asia and the Pacific are forecast to reach 535 million by 2030, an average annual increase of about 4.9%. The increase in tourist arrivals to Asia marks the highest forecast annual increase in arrivals for any region globally. By 2030, North-East Asia is expected to overtake Southern and Mediterranean Europe to become the subregion to receive the largest number of international arrivals (293 million) of any subregion in the world. How will this tourism growth impact the region? Tourism can be a leader in all aspects of environmental sustainability, including generating the financial and political support needed to sustain protected areas, raising awareness of the need for conservation, generating investment in natural resource preservation initiatives. To maximize tourism s positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts, what should destinations do? Growth and sustainability are not at odds. Essentially, the task of achieving sustainability requires establishing rules so that different organizations, each with a different type of governance arrangements, can work together. Successful management of growth depends on the development of soft tourism infrastructure, meaning the networks of organizations and people that collaborate to manage a tourism destination. What are some key points to improve sustainable tourism governance? Clear governance arrangements: The central issue in improved governance arrangements for tourism destinations is to define in detail what task needs to be achieved, who is responsible and how decisions to achieve that task will be made, and performance measured. Many tasks are complex and require the collaboration of many people and organizations, with the management of sustainable tourism growth being one of the most complexes. Good governance: Governance arrangements for sustainable tourism growth is a task that must involve the local community as stakeholders. It appears logical that good governance arrangements may be the best type to achieve this task. 78 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

78 Government works with industry and community: Central governments, states, communities and private stakeholders all need to work in tandem to ensure tourism and growth are not at odds, growing sustainably rather than destructively, looking beyond the short term to propel positive development at all levels for future generations. Future orientation: Good governance requires forwardlooking visions and anticipate future problems and issues based on current data and trends. Also, it is important to develop policies that take into account future costs and anticipated changes (e.g., demographic, economic, environmental changes). How can I learn more? Managing Growth and Sustainable Tourism Governance in Asia and the Pacific was released on the occasion of the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development The publication focuses on sustainable-tourism governance approaches that have helped to realize tourism s potential to contribute to economic growth and improved livelihoods in the Asia and the Pacific region by providing tangible examples demonstrating that growth and sustainability are not at odds. The case studies presented in the report cover 13 countries and 17 destinations in the region and highlight issues related to growth and sustainable-tourism governance, providing approaches from both the private and public sectors in one of the most promising and successful tourism regions in the world. It is available to download and to purchase on the UNWTO e-library: Penetrating the Chinese Outbound Tourism Market Successful Practices and Solutions Did you know? China is the largest economy in Asia and the Pacific and the second largest in the world, with a GDP of USD 11.2 trillion Penetrating the Chinese Outbound Tourism Market (2016) it accounts for about 44% of Asia s economic output. This healthy economic status has had a positive impact on Chinese tourism that has benefitted from a growing and affluent middle-class possessing disposable income to travel. Vibrant economic regions especially on the East coast of China are the catchment areas of this lucrative outbound market. In 2012, China became the world s leading source market in international tourism and had since led global outbound travel. In 2016, there were 135 million Chinese outbound travelers, a 6% increase from the previous year. Chinese tourist expenditure surged from USD 24 billion in 2006 to USD 261 billion in 2016, or 21% of the world s international tourism spending. What does this mean for tourism destinations around the world? It is evident that tourism is growing around the world; there were 1.2 billion international arrivals in The Chinese market is exciting to tourism destinations and businesses, especially if one accounts for the growth potential of this market: in 2014 out of an estimated total population of 1.3 billion just 6% of the population (81.4 million people) had a passport. Issue 45 December

79 Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific (RPAP) Research Destinations around the world have capitalized on the boom in Chinese travel. For example, France attracted 2.2 million Chinese visitors in 2015, a 33% increase over the previous year. Who is driving this surge in outbound tourism from China? Chinese millennials (currently aged 15-35) are a key segment of the Chinese outbound tourism market. China has 414 million millennials, about 31% of the population. This generation is the future of travel and their interests are significant. Chinese millennials are increasingly seeking authentic experiences while traveling and are more interested in interactions with local communities and less about ostentatious shopping. They want to see the world with a focus on new and unique experiences. For this generation, having access to the internet is essential. The millennials are the first generation to be brought together by the internet and have become some of the most frequent users of social media, mobile applications and new payment methods. Chinese millennials demand more personalized, more mobile, more convenient and more efficient products and services. What is distinct about the Chinese outbound market? To fully understand China s outbound tourism market, an analysis of the price trends of outbound tourism products is critical. The China outbound tourism price index (OPI), developed and implemented by Ivy Tourism Consulting, is used to reflect price trends of tourism products related to different overseas destinations. Asia is the largest destination market for Chinese outbound travel. The summer months of July and August are the peak seasons for Chinese outbound travel to Asian destinations, during which the prices of tourist products typically rise significantly. Additionally, there are two week-long national holidays during Spring Festival and 1 October National Day in China. These two Golden Week holidays in 2016 were also the high seasons for Chinese outbound travel. During those two weeks, the prices of tourist products to Asian destinations rose sharply to the highest point of the whole year. What are the key solutions to penetrate this lucrative market? The destinations that have been particularly successful in attracting the Chinese visitors have embraced the concept of China ready and have implemented the following solutions to penetrate the Chinese outbound tourism market: Understand the Chinese tourism market Successful destinations have conducted market studies to better understand Chinese tourists travel behavior, the perception of their destination, and special needs when developing marketing and product development plans. Prepare destinations and suppliers to receive Chinese tourists: Provide Chinese friendly services, such as Chinese language services, free Wi-Fi; integrate elements of 80 UNWTO Asia Pacific Newsletter 2017, Issue 45

80 Chinese culture and special amenities, such as slippers, tea kettles, Chinese tea; and accept payment services of Chinese companies. It is available to download and to purchase on the UNWTO e-library: Strategic market penetration plans: It is important to understand China s tourist-generating regions and to prepare geographically specific market strategies. The competition to attract Chinese tourists is fierce among mature destinations. Setting up tourism offices and directing marketing to tier-2 cities (Hangzhou, Kunming and Wuhan) rather than only tier-1 touristgenerating cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong offers an advantage. It is also essential to boost cooperation with the Chinese travel trade to understand the China distribution network. Innovative product development strategies: To stay ahead of competition, look at new themes for product positioning. Successful destinations have examined innovative themes to hook Chinese travelers, such as the niche areas of medical tourism, sports tourism, outdoor activities, self-driving tours, food and wine, as well as classic cultural products involving music, painting and art. How can I learn more? The UNWTO Publication Penetrating the Chinese Outbound Tourism Market: Successful Practices and Solutions gives an overview of the key features of the Chinese outbound tourism market regarding policy, demographics, socioeconomic evolution, catchment areas, and market trends. It includes case studies from seven destinations in Asia and the Pacific and three in Europe and the Americas that have successfully attracted the attention of the Chinese outbound tourism market. The case studies focus on issues such as product development, market segmentation, demand and supply analysis and, most importantly, marketing and promotion. Issue 45 December

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