UNCTAD helps developing countries, particularly LDCs to:
- Strengthen their capacities to formulate sound policies for sustainable tourism for development;
- Manage the sustainable development of their tourism sector;
- Support their integration into international tourism operations;
- Participate in multilateral trade negotiations, particularly in the context of services,
with the objective of sustaining local development through growing and equitable trade benefits and dividends.
To reach its objectives, UNCTAD through its task force cooperates with partner institutions – the International Trade Centre (ITC/UNCTAD/WTO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization (WTO). UNCTAD recognizes the important role played by NGOs involved in tourism, particularly in fair tourism, and is exploring possible ways of cooperating with them for the joint implementation of projects.
The first inter-agencies meeting was held in Madrid,on 23 November 2004 at the World Tourism Organization's headquarters. UNCTAD, as well as WHO, ILO, WMO, UNEP, UNESCO and ITC (organizations which have specific activities in the field of sustainable tourism) participated. The main objective was to determine the field of activities in the tourism sector of each participant, and to ensure a greater cooperation. In this context, UNCTAD highlighted its specific competencies in terms of sustainable tourism for development, and in terms of competition, investments, environment, human resources, trade negotiations and E-tourism.
Others include:
Affaires Etrangères - France
Agence Française de développement
Agencia Española de cooperación internacional
Cooperazione Italiana
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
George Washington University
Netherlands Development Organisation