summary
UNWTO and JICA co-hosted a seminar to introduce TIPs for the Central American Tourism Integration Organization (SITCA)
date(s) (e.g. for exhibition)
Friday, November 17, 2023
organizing
JICA and UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization)
Location
online
Main Participants
Mr. Gustavo Santos, UNWTO Regional Director for the Americas
Ms. Morena Valdez, Minister of Tourism, El Salvador – Chair, Central American Tourism Council
Mr. Carlos Peguero Vice Minister of Tourism, Dominican Republic
Lihia Miranda Ponce, Executive Director, SITCA
Ms. Catherine Budd SITCA Secretariat
Mr. Jorge Bonilla, Touristology Latin America Representative, CAFAM University Union-CATELCO
Mr. Philippe Lemestre UNWTO Office of the Director General
Ms. Claudia Lisboa, Organizational Relations and Partnerships Department (IRP), UNWTO
Tomomi Sato, Private Sector Development Group, Economic Development Department, JICA
Background and Objectives
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations for the promotion and development of tourism. As part of the collaboration with UNWTO, JICA has been implementing various activities related to tourism development for developing countries in collaboration with UNWTO since signing a cooperation agreement with UNWTO in 2017. Indicators for Projects), in cooperation with the Central American Tourism Integration Secretariat (SITCA), was presented in November 2023 in collaboration with UNWTO to international cooperation officers of tourism ministries in the member countries of the Central American Integration Organization (SICA).
Contents
This seminar was held mainly for the SITCA Secretariat and the persons in charge of international cooperation in tourism ministries of SICA member countries to (1) increase the interest in TIPs among the officials of tourism ministries of SICA member countries and (2) discuss the concrete use of TIPs, About 70 people participated, including officials from SICA member countries’ tourism ministries and agencies, UNWTO, SICA, and JICA’s overseas offices.
Group photo of participants
In light of the fact that there were no existing indicators to measure the effectiveness of tourism projects, JICA and UNWTO introduced an overview of TIPs and then focused on the specific potential use of TIPs in tourism projects.
Central America, positioned as an ideal location for sustainable tourism practices due to its cultural and natural diversity, shared examples and models of TIPs utilization in Central America’s unique form of tourism.
Morena Valdez, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, commented on the importance of multi-agency collaboration (UNWTO, SITCA, JICA) to help solve global issues, as well as her expectations for TIPs.
Minister of Tourism of El Salvador
SITCA Executive Director Lihia Miranda Ponce thanked JICA for its leadership and commitment in developing the TIPs, while Gustavo Santos, UNWTO Regional Director for the Americas, spoke about the importance of the SDGs and the multilayered spillover effects and roles of the tourism industry on other sectors. The importance of the SDGs and the multilayered ripple effects and roles of the tourism industry on other sectors were also mentioned.
Executive Director, SITCA
© Source JICA