UNWTO, UNESCO to Hold 1st World Conference on Tourism and Culture

The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) will hold the world’s first ministerial-level conference on tourism and culture in cooperation with UNESCO in Siem Reap, Cambodia, between 4-6 February 2015.

The conference will bring together, for the first time, ministers of tourism and culture from around the world and experts and stakeholders from both sectors to identify the key challenges and explore new models of partnership between these highly interlinked areas.

“This milestone event will provide a unique opportunity for tourism and culture stakeholders from all regions to discuss how to further harness the power of tourism and culture to alleviate poverty, create jobs, protect heritage and promote international understanding, contributing to the post-2015 development agenda,” UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, said.

Over the course of two days, participants will explore different roles and mandates on five key topics – governance and partnership models, cultural preservation, living cultures and creative industries, cultural routes and urban regeneration through cultural tourism.

Confirmed speakers include King Simeon II; Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations; John Delaney, Senior Vice President of Seabourn; and Elizabeth Becker, award-winning author and former correspondent for the New York Times.

Hosted by the Kingdom of Cambodia in Siem Reap, home of UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat, the Conference will count on the presence of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Baromneath Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, and Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.