Travel/Tourism

Peru to seek executive council position on World Tourism Organization

Peru’s Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Martín Pérez said the country will seek a position on the executive council of the UN’s 154-member member state World Tourism Organization during next year’s elections, state news agency Andina reported.

“We want the country to have a larger role in the UNWTO and we are going to negotiate with other nations so Peru will become a member of the executive council in the 2011 elections,” Pérez said.

“Peru hasn’t been very active in its relation with the UNWTO, that’s why we have put in charge the deputy minister of tourism, Mara Seminario, to assume the leadership and work with them in a strengthened manner.”

Pérez said he met with representatives from the UN agency during has recent trip to Spain. He added that becoming a member of the executive council will allow Peru to have greater access to modern tourism technology, as well as improved access to information, market studies and other programs that the organization provides.

Tourism is one of Peru’s largest sources of revenue. The country was recently ranked by a survey titled Country Brand Index among the top 10 tourist destinations worldwide thanks to its culture and art, natural beauty and archaeology.

The country’s main attraction is Machu Picchu, which brought in about 850,000 tourists in 2008.

The UNWTO serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a source for tourism know-how, the organization says on its website. It also plays an important role in the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

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