Saturday 18 October 2008, San José, Costa
Rica
Women Abusers Will
Still Go To Jail, Says Fiscal General
Interamericana
Norte And Sur Cleared, Focus Is On
Flooding in Guanacaste
Construction of
New Stadium Off, Now On Again
Costa Rica $500
Dollars Short Of Reclaiming
Pre-Columbian Art
Cuban Awarded CINERGIA
Prize in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Recognized For Its
Leadership In
Sustainable Tourism
Development
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Costa Rica
Recognized For Its
Leadership In
Sustainable Tourism
Development
Costa Rica, the leader
and pioneer of
sustainable tourism, has
been chosen to head the
United Nations World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Executive Council
starting this year.
The UNWTO met in Madrid
in October 14 - 15 and
appointed Carlos Ricardo
Benavides, Minister of
Tourism of Costa Rica,
to lead the Executive
Council of this
international
organization.
This designation is a
major milestone and it
confirms it's image as a
world leader in the
tourism arena. The
country has been a
member of the Council
for three years and is a
member of the World
Committee on Tourism
Ethics, as well as the
Sustainable Development
Committee.
Since 2001, the UNWTO
had not appointed the
chairmanship title to a
representative from the
Americas, and it is the
first time that Costa
Rica serves as such.
Carlos Ricardo Benavides
will take office
immediately and serve
throughout 2009.
Benavides assumes this
leading position in a
historical period when
the UNWTO will be
electing a new Secretary
General.
"The appointment is a
high recognition of
Costa Rica's efforts in
sustainable tourism. Our
country has become a
model and leader in this
arena," said Benavides.
"This position plays an
important role within
the WTO as it help to
lead and approve the
Executive Council's
programs. We will
oversee important topics
such as poverty
eradication through
tourism in developing
countries, fair economic
distribution, as well as
conservation, protection
and adequate use of
natural resources," he
added.
UNWTO is a specialized
agency of the United
Nations and the leading
international
organization for the
field of tourism.
Created in 1925, the
organization plays a
central role in
promoting the
development of
responsible and
sustainable tourism
around the world. Its
membership includes 154
countries and
territories and more
than 350 affiliate
members representing the
private sector,
educational
institutions,
associations and local
tourism authorities.
International world
tourist arrivals
experienced an increase
of 903 million in 2007,
representing an annual
growth rate of 6.6
percent. According
to the UNWTO, the
increase in
international tourist
arrivals is projected to
be around 3 percent for
2008.
n the case of Costa
Rica, the increase is
projected to be around
10 percent.
Last year the country
closed with a total of
1.9 million
international tourist
arrivals. The revenue
generated by
international tourists
reached a historic high
of US$1.9 billion,
making its tourism
industry the main
generator of revenue for
the country. |
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