By Kim Hyun-bin
The 7th UNWTO Global Summit on Urban Tourism will be held from Sept. 16 to 19 at the Shilla Hotel, Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Tuesday.
Korea will become the first Northeast Asian country to host the event, themed “A 2030 Vision for Urban Tourism.”
“The tourism industry is crucial to vitalize the city's competitiveness and its future food industry. It is especially important at this point in time to have solidarity among cities as global affairs are changing rapidly,” said Kim Jae-yong, section chief of tourism policy at the city government. “Through a successful summit, we hope to expand interest in Korean tourism and strengthen solidarity among the cities.”
The summit hosts are the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the local government, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism the capital's tourism office ant the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
The summit will provide a platform to discuss key issues surrounding the future of urban tourism.
The “2030 vision” for urban tourism aims to trigger new thinking that fulfills the needs and expectations of new customers while promoting economic and social growth, the KTO said.
Over 500 representatives are expected to attend the summit which includes national tourism administrations and city authorities that will exchange expertise and experience to help enhance urban tourism.
Along with the general meeting, the city government plans to offer six tour programs which include a VIP Seoul tour, Seoul theme tour, night scenic tour and city tour.
The Global Summit on Urban Tourism is an annual event and was first held in 2012 in Istanbul, Turkey.
The UNWTO is in charge of leading international organizations in tourism and provides leadership and support in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.
The UNWTO headquarters is located in Madrid, Spain, and its membership includes over 156 countries, six territories and over 500 affiliates.