UNWTO becomes "UN Tourism" to mark new era for global sector

Madrid : The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) enters a new era with a new name and brand: UN Tourism. With this new brand, the organisation reaffirms its status as the United Nations specialised agency for tourism and the global leader of tourism for development, driving social and economic change to ensure that "people and planet" are always centre stage.

On the occasion, Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UN Tourism, said, "As society progresses, the tourism sector, much like many other sectors, needs to transform to serve as a catalyst for prosperity at a universal scale. Enhancing the well-being of individuals, safeguarding the natural environment, stimulating economic advancement, and fostering international harmony are key goals that are the fundamental essence of UN Tourism. The organisation takes on the role of driving a sustainable force that is now central to many economies."

"UN Tourism: transforming tourism for a better world"-to achieve this goal, UN Tourism engaged the services of Interbrand, the leading global branding agency. Interbrand successfully translated the organisation's renewed vision for tourism into a new visual identity and brand narrative. This involved renaming the organisation, transitioning from UNWTO to UN Tourism.

At the same time, a new brand narrative was meticulously crafted, one that seamlessly aligns with UN Tourism's central mission and priorities. This narrative pivots around three main messages: the UN as a global altruistic organisation, the notion of connecting humans around the world and the concept of proactivity and movement.

With 160 Member States and hundreds of private sector affiliates, UN Tourism has its headquarters in Madrid, Spain, and Regional Offices in Nara (Japan) covering Asia and Pacific, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) for the Middle East, as well as forthcoming Regional Offices for the Americas (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Africa (Morocco). Its priorities center on promoting tourism for sustainable development in line with the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Global Goals.

UN Tourism promotes quality education, supports decent jobs in the sector, identifies talent and drives innovation and accelerates tourism climate action and sustainability.