"If properly incorporated into development strategies, the tourism sector can be a cornerstone of new productive systems aimed at eradicating poverty and integrating the developing countries into the global economy."  Rubens Ricupero, former Secretary-General of UNCTAD (September 1995 - September 2004).

The UNCTAD E-Tourism Initiative offers business value for all stakeholders in the tourism industry: 

• For public institutions, through the acquisition and use of new information technologies. Ministries of trade and tourism, national tourist offices, and professional organizations in the sector will benefit from a more effective structure and organization; a standardized list of service providers and monitoring of these services and an improved understanding of the sector, and they will have a greater influence on the presentation of the tourism sector to the rest of the world, which will be structured and coherent;
• All businesses involved, directly or indirectly, in international commerce, particularly SMEs in the tourism sector, by ensuring promotion and branding on a Web platform generating increased visibility, additional promotion and management opportunities. Individuals employed in the sector will benefit from training courses (hotel industry workers, entrepreneurs, local travel agents, guides, etc.);
• The partners in general: while money enables projects to be carried out, so do the shared programmes, joint decision-making and mutual benefit which make up a partnership;
• Potential "consumactors" around the world.