The first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of 2024 will be published later this month and provide a consolidated review of 2023 and a first forecast for this year. Once again, it will look closely at the sector’s resilience and the reliability of UNWTO data, showcasing the Organization as the trusted source of insights for Governments, businesses and the media.

UNWTO will continue the work carried out last year in this area, and promote investments by advancing its works with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, launch new investment guidelines, and build on the results of the Global Tourism Economy Forum and the Annual Investment Meeting of the World Investment for Development Alliance, while fostering the legacy of the last World Tourism Day, held under the theme ‘Tourism and Green Investments’.

True sustainable development can only be achieved by investing in people and supporting young talent. Again, the achievements of 2023 lay the foundations for the year ahead. In 2024, new Academies in Collaboration with UNWTO will be opened and the BSc in Sustainable Tourism Management will welcome its first students to start their journey.

UNWTO is as strong as its Membership. Last October in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the first in-person General Assembly since the pandemic saw Members endorse UNWTO’s leadership and approve the Programme of Work for 2024-25, welcome Belize as its new Member State, and advance plans for new regional offices in Africa and the Americas.

The year ahead looks set to be a huge test for international governance and order, global security, and coordinated climate action. UNWTO has ensured that tourism will be part of the discussions at the very highest level. UNWTO has followed a UN process that will culminate in the presentation of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism to the United Nations Statistical Commission.

The UNWTO Regional office for the Middle East will continue building on the successful work around tourism and rural development, above all through the flagship Best Tourism Villages (BTV) initiative. In 2024, the fourth BTV edition will offer a new opportunity to rural destinations to shine on the global stage. Additionally, UNWTO will continue its work on wine tourism, gastronomy tourism, sports tourism and accessible tourism.

2023 was a year of firsts for UNWTO, and in 2024 the Organization will build on those achievements. This year will see the first major renewal of the Organization’s visual identity and narrative, alongside a digital overhaul. Additionally, the Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean, jointly created by UNWTO and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will be presented during Fitur, the Madrid International Tourism Trade Fair in January.