The recent UNWTO Workshop in Guangdong, China focuses on the power of tourism to bring about a decrease in poverty and the development of the province. The workshop was carried out under the framework of the agreement signed by UNWTO and the Chimelong Group in 2016.
Workshop for Poverty Reduction and Tourism Development held in Guangdong aims to increase awareness of the significant role of the tourism sector in reducing poverty and to encourage knowledge sharing on the best practices in the sector.
The event occurred alongside the celebration of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, a global campaign headed by UNWTO.
"Guangdong, one of the top economic hubs in China, is one of the best examples of what is happening in China in terms of the links between development and tourism and therefore it is a perfect location to conduct this event," said Taleb Rifai, the Secretary General of UNWTO.
“We sincerely appreciate the agreement with UNWTO that includes a number of initiatives in the field of sustainable tourism and wildlife conservation, which are very much in line with our philosophy ‘Wherever Chimelong goes, the happiness follows’ as our CEO, Su Zhigang highlights,” said Guangdong Chimelong Group President Chen Wancheng.
Tourism is one of the most important sectors in Guangdong as it accounts for 6.3 percent of the province’s GDP. More that 300 million local tourists and around 35 million international tourists visit Guangdong each year.
Case studies from the UNWTO ST-EP Project Great Himalaya Trail Development Programme, the UNWTO Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories and from activities held by Chimelong in the Guangdong Province were featured in the workshop.
Among those who participated in the event were delegates of provincial tourist authorities and provincial tourism organizations, particularly those from the Guangdong Province, stakeholders from the private sector and Chinese NGOs.
With UNWTO Workshop in Guangdong, the province hopes to alleviate poverty through its tourism sector.