DUSHANBE, June 10, 2016, Asia-Plus – Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda yesterday met here with visiting United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai.
According to the Prime Minister Secretariat, the two sides discussed issues related to expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Dr. Taleb Rifai reportedly expressed satisfaction “with steady development of various spheres of Tajikistan’s economy, especially tourism.”
Qohir Rasoulzoda, for his part, noted that the government has taken a number of measures in recent years to improve tourism and relevant industries in the country.
He also proposed to hold an international tourism conference in Tajikistan next year, the source said.
The UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, arrived in Tajikistan yesterday for a three-day visit. The main purpose of the visit is for him to hold a number of meetings with Tajik state officials to discuss cooperation and get acquainted with tourism potential of the country.
During his previous visit to Tajikistan in May 2010, the UNWTO Secretary-General held talks with a number of high-ranking Tajik state officials and visited the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).
During his meeting with President Emomali Rahmon on May 3, 2010, Dr. Taleb Rifai, in particular, underlined the importance of regional cooperation in the growth and development of the national economies. Referring to the UNWTO Silk Road Project, a long-term initiative to harness the tourism potential of the ancient Silk Road, Mr. Rifai called for the continued collaboration of all participating countries.
The 2010 official visit also focused on providing assistance to Tajikistan in the creation of a tourism development plan that would draw attention to and develop Tajikistan’s unique mountain nature and cultural assets.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It is the leading international organization in the field of tourism, which promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide. It encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to maximize the contribution of tourism to socio-economic development, while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development.
UNWTO generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.
UNWTO’s membership includes 156 countries, 6 territories and over 400 affiliate members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities. Its headquarters are located in Madrid.
