Events, Organisations & Operators,

UNWTO recognises the importance of youth. For this reason, youth empowerment, including through offering education and training opportunities as well as access to decent jobs, is one of our key priorities. But we are committed to going even further. Young people must not only be beneficiaries of tourism’s restart, but they must also be active participants in it. Now is the time to bring young voices on board as we make big decisions that will set the course for our sector for years to come.
The first UNWTO Global Youth Tourism Summit confirmed that the young talent is there. So too is the determination to make a difference. For one week in Italy, we brought together some of the brightest young minds, to hear their concerns, but above all, their vision for the sector. This was a landmark first – for the young people, for UNWTO and for the tourism sector as a whole. It put young people in the driving seat. And it gave them a unique opportunity to engage directly with the sector’s leaders, including business heads and Ministers of Tourism.
Out of the week came the Sorrento Call to Action, a call from the young participants to have a greater say in the decisions that will affect them whether as tourists themselves or as beneficiaries of the sector. While only signed by the delegates present in Sorrento, it is a true representation of the determination of global youth not to be left on the side-lines anymore. It also makes clear the priorities of the next generation of tourists and tourism leaders, namely accelerating the shift towards greater sustainability, most notably through the development and promotion of green transport, for greater inclusion and respect for human rights, and finally ensuring that the benefits tourism delivers are enjoyed as widely and fairly as possible.
To put these ideas and ambitions into action, young people need to be given a seat at the decision-making table. Youth-led organisations need to be invited to monitor and assess the development of tourism and, if necessary, be in a position where they can hold governments and businesses to account.
Every part of the wide global tourism ecosystem will benefit enormously from embracing the power of youth. Right now, the planet is home to around 1.8 billion people between the ages of 10-24— the largest generation of youth in human history. Almost 90% of them live in developing countries, and in many of them they make up the majority of the population. It’s here that they can make the biggest difference, and tourism is without doubt the most powerful vehicle to drive transformation and growth.ADVERTISEMENTAs World Tourism Day 2022 makes clear in its theme, we now have an opportunity to rethink tourism – where we are and where we are going. Young people must be active protagonists in this vital process. The climate action movement has shown what can be achieved if young voices are brought on board. Here, young activists have helped set the agenda and pushed governments to raise their ambitions. Tourism must now do the same, and UNWTO is ready to lead by example.

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The latest phase of the #DubaiDestinations campaign, focused on highlighting the city’s exceptional summer experiences, has kicked off, inviting local and international audiences to enjoy an epic summer in the emirate.
Running till the end of August, the new campaign encourages residents and travellers to discover the city’s diverse leisure, dining, adventure and family-friendly activities that make Dubai a one-of-a-kind summer destination.
Aligned with the vision of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to make Dubai the world’s best city to live and visit, the #DubaiDestinations initiative was launched in December 2021.
The start of the latest phase of the campaign was marked by the release of two interactive #DubaiDestinations summer guides focused on children’s activities. The first guide lists a vast range of indoor destinations for children and adults who want to rediscover their inner child. From having breakfast with penguins and riding on giant rollercoasters to painting up a storm in art cafes, the activities featured in the guide offer something for all children. The list covers activities offered at 115 destinations spread across malls, retail complexes, theme parks, beaches and esplanades, among other locations, making it a handy reference for families to plan their leisure activities during the Eid-Al-Adha holidays and the rest of the summer season.  A total of 20 theme parks and 28 retail complexes are covered by the guide. The second guide features a list of around 40 exciting summer camps for children that will enable them to challenge themselves, forge new friendships and pick up a new skills. The release of the guides coincides with the start of school summer holidays.
Available in both English and Arabic, the guides can be accessed on Brand Dubai’s digital platforms including its website www.branddubai.ae, and its Instagram account @branddubai.ADVERTISEMENTShaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, said: “The latest phase of the #DubaiDestinations campaign invites local and global audiences to explore the unique destinations, hidden gems and exciting activities that make the emirate one of the world’s most popular destinations. We are releasing a series of interactive guides designed to help people learn more about Dubai’s top-rated experiences during the summer. The campaign is being implemented by Brand Dubai in cooperation with other government entities, industry stakeholders from both the public and private sector and the creative media community. We seek to tap the power of collaborative storytelling to further raise Dubai’s profile as the world’s best place to live and visit.”
Vast range of indoor attractionsTop summer attractions in Dubai include indoor theme parks like IMG Worlds of Adventure and Dubai Parks and Resorts, where the entire family can go on adrenalin-pumping thrill rides, meet their favourite superheroes and cartoon characters, get up close and personal with dinosaurs and mythical creatures, and splash their way through water slides and tunnels, in addition to enjoying live entertainment, delectable food and play areas.
This summer, children also wouldn’t want to miss out on Modesh World, one of the region’s best summer indoor entertainment facilities, offering a multitude of activities catering to families and children featuring new Modesh and Dana experiences including mall appearances, stage shows and much more. For those looking to enjoy the natural world in an indoor location, the Dubai Butterfly Garden, the “world’s largest covered butterfly garden” gives children the opportunity to spend time in climate-controlled domes housing 15,000 butterflies of over 50 varieties. Other popular destinations covered by the guide include the Dubai Indoor Kartdrome Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo and the Dubai Dolphinarium.
Upcoming #DubaiDestinations guides, set to be released later during the campaign, will help people discover many attractions in the emirate covering exciting summer and weekend activities, seaside dining options, and other businesses running exciting programmes during the season. Brand Dubai will be partnering with several content creators and influencers to develop videos and promotional content that highlight the top activities, experiences and events in the city and where to find them. The latest phase of the #DubaiDestinations campaign coincides with the Dubai Summer Surprises.
The campaign is being rolled out over digital, broadcast, print and outdoor media to ensure it reaches large sections of local and international audiences. Key partners in the #DubaiDestinations campaign include: the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai; Dubai Municipality; the Roads and Transport Authority; the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; Dubai Sports Council; Dubai Ladies Club; Emaar; Dubai Holding; Nakheel Properties; Majid Al Futtaim Group; and Merex Investment Office.

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Peace and international solidarity celebrated as Global Youth Tourism Summit ends

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The first Global Youth Tourism Summit concluded by showcasing the power of tourism for youth empowerment, international solidarity and peace.
Drawing the landmark event to a close, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili joined UNWTO Director for Europe, Alessandra Priante, in thanking the 130 young delegates for their active participation. Valeria Mazza, UNWTO Ambassador for Responsible Tourism and the ‘godmother of GYTS’, also urged the participants, who came from 59 countries, to “follow their own paths in life” and to serve as advocates for tourism themselves as they return to their home communities.
Following this the Ukrainian National Folk Ensemble “Veryovka”, directed by maestro Carlo Ponti Jr, performed for an audience of high-level guests including the Ambassador of Ukraine to Italy, Mr Yaroslav Melnyk, the UN’s envoy for youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake, UNWTO Ambassador for Sustainable Tourism, Didier Drogba, Minister of Tourism of the Maldives, Abdulla Mausoom, and founder of the Small World Foundation, Ms Salam Hamzeh Ghaith. 
Finally, in an act of solidarity, the night ended with presentations to organisations which are performing goodwill and charitable work, namely the Los Angeles Virtuosi, the MSC Foundation, Didier Drogba Foundation, Pokrova Association, and finally the UEFA Foundation.

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Tourism has the potential to lead the shift towards a circular and regenerative blue economy, the UN Ocean Conference has been told.
UNWTO centred the discussions on tourism in a special Tourism Ocean Action side event of the Conference, held this week in Lisbon. Organised alongside the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme and in collaboration with the governments of Portugal and Kenya, the discussions highlighted the strong incentive that tourism provides for ocean conservation.
Tourism’s role in coastal conservationAddressing the Conference, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Our wellbeing depends on a healthy ocean. As part of its responsible recovery, tourism needs to play a more active role in protecting coastal and marine environments. That’s why we are taking steps to shift to a more circular and resilient tourism model, and the benefits of this will be felt far beyond the sector itself.”
High level representatives from Portugal, Kenya and the Republic of Fiji including the Minister of Economy and Maritime Affairs of Portugal, H.E. Antonio Costa Silva; the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya, Hon. Najib Balala; the Minister of Commerce, Trade Tourism and Transport of the Republic of Fiji, Hon. Faiyaz Koya; presented frontrunning tourism policies and stressed the importance of finding a balance between the environment and the economy and jobs creation through tourism. The UN Resident Coordinator for the Maldives and UNEP’s Ecosystem Division Director also took part in the side event. 
“As we implement the sustainable tourism action plan 2020 – 2023, we are promoting changes in consumption behaviour, looking at the circularity of materials and at the efficiency in the use of resources, while supporting tourism companies adopt ESG and connecting marine protected areas with tourism” said H.E. Antonio Costa Silva, Minister of Economy and Maritime Affairs of Portugal.ADVERTISEMENTKey ocean and climate initiatives outlinedIn particular, the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, including its five pathways “measure, decarbonise, regenerate, collaborate and finance” and the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, which supports the sector’s readiness to the upcoming international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, were put forward as effective tools to accelerate tourism ocean action and new signatories to the latter were announced.
“The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative supports readiness of the tourism sector to meet upcoming regulations, especially in light of the upcoming international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. To meet the real need for strong mobilisation, the largest businesses need to also be engaged,” noted UNEP, Susan Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division
Turismo de Portugal recalled having signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism alongside the European Travel Commission. The Travel Foundation reminded of the need to build the knowledge of tourism stakeholders, especially small and medium enterprises. The need to trigger investments at scale in the protection and regeneration of ecosystems was highlighted by private sector representatives from Iberostar Group, which presented its coastal health strategy, and NOAH Regen, which presented an innovative finance model to protect and regenerate blue carbon ecosystems, building on the side-event on “Blue Carbon Ecosystems for Regenerative Tourism” organised on the previous day in collaboration with Forum Oceano.

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Award-winning association UKinbound has welcomed seasoned events and project management professional Palmira Errico to its team as events manager.
Joining from destination management company Premium Incoming UK and Ireland, where she held the role of project manager, Errico brings with her over nine years of client and management experience.
Her previous roles include stints at both Miki Travel Ltd and EMS Destination Management. Errico also holds a degree in Cultural and Linguistical Mediation from the University of L’Orientale in Naples.
Errico has been tasked with driving forward the association’s events calendar, alongside head of events Saara Vuorela-Valladares, which will include its 200 plus delegate Annual Convention in Aberdeen and the UK stand at World Travel Market.
Additionally, she will be coordinating the association’s regular networking evenings, familiarisation trips, discover workshops, webinars, general meetings, and more.ADVERTISEMENTCommenting on her appointment Errico said “I am very pleased to have joined the UKinbound events team. I am really looking forward to working with the head of events Saara, and the rest of the team, to create many memorable moments for all our members, who I’m excited to meet at our future events.”

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Resorts World Las Vegas has unveiled its Las Vegas Convention Center Loop passenger station, providing direct underground access to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) in an enjoyable, efficient and environmentally friendly way in minutes in all-electric Teslas. Resorts World Las Vegas is now also poised to connect to the expanded Vegas Loop system when development efforts move forward on the proposed innovative transportation system.
The LVCC Loop is an innovative, all-electric, zero-emissions, underground public transportation system in which passengers are transported directly to their destination with no stops along the way. The Resorts World Las Vegas passenger station will be the first of over 55 stops anticipated to form the Vegas Loop, which aims to eventually transport thousands of passengers per hour throughout the resort corridor.
The Vegas Loop will be constructed in phases that include the Resorts World Las Vegas passenger station, the LVCC Loop and future service extensions along the Strip and Downtown Las Vegas.
“Today marks a monumental moment not only for our resort, but for Las Vegas,” said Scott Sibella, president of Resorts World Las Vegas. “Our passenger station will make a visit to our resort from the Las Vegas Convention Center easier than ever, and eventually connect us to key destinations throughout the city. Resorts World Las Vegas strives to transform the way people experience Las Vegas, and this offering does just that. We are proud to partner with The Boring Company on what we believe to be the future of travel.”
“In addition to offering our convention customers direct access to Resorts World’s world-class hospitality and entertainment, this milestone is an important step in the development of a game-changing transportation solution in Las Vegas,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA.) Resorts World Las Vegas provides some of the city’s most advanced technology features, such as cashless gaming, digital check-in, breathtaking LED technology and more. The partnership with The Boring Company further illustrates the resort’s intention to integrate innovative technology throughout the entire guest experience.ADVERTISEMENTHours of operation for the Resorts World Las Vegas Passenger Station will vary based upon the LVCC events and convention calendar.

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The IMEX Group has won Best International Show – Americas at the recent AEO Excellence Awards. The awards, held last Friday (24 June), honoured IMEX America 2021 which took place in November last year at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains why the show was a milestone moment for the team and the wider industry: “IMEX America 2021 was our first show in over two years and enabled us to reunite with our events industry family – we’re delighted to commemorate it with this award.
“IMEX America was the first international event on American soil after the US government lifted travel restrictions – in fact, the show took place on the day the borders opened.
“Organising a show under these challenging conditions took a Herculean effort from the team, but the appreciation and elation of the global industry who joined us onsite made it all worthwhile.”
Registration has formally opened for IMEX America, October 11 – 13 2022 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.ADVERTISEMENT

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Corporate event planners and meeting directors are being invited to continue the strategic conversation that was started at IMEX in Frankfurt’s recent in-person Exclusively Corporate.
A free, virtual event on June 28 will be headed by Google Events Strategic Solutions Lead, Megan Henshall, who will pose the same question asked by Google’s events team: ‘How might we create spaces for exploration and innovation to occur?’
Henshall will explain how the Google Experience Institute (Xi) defines and applies exploration to intentionally unlock and engender innovation across the business’s events portfolio. She’ll be sharing dozens of insights gleaned during her career at Google, whose mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
This interactive, virtual Exclusively Corporate will also focus on how to build diverse communities while engaging them with empathy and curiosity. Henshall will discuss the power of passion and how it actively plays into community growth and connection.
The 3-hour session will also reveal how work at Xi ignited a new project on neuro-inclusion in events. The day will conclude with an open call for participants to collaborate and learn how to elevate the power and impact of events by designing them around the varied and diverse neurological needs of attendees. Neuro-inclusion recognises that people experience the world in different ways and that no single way is either right or wrong, just different.ADVERTISEMENTRegistration is free and NOT dependent on having attended IMEX’s Exclusively Corporate in May. All inhouse, corporate meetings and events planners are welcome, and the session will be recorded.

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