World Tourism Organization Announces Ecuador as Newest Executive Council Member

Ecuador successfully completed the final stage of the selection process to the UN World Tourism Council (UNWTO) Executive Council, obtaining the highest vote among the five countries which submitted their candidacy for the three available seats. Ecuador has been elected for the period 2014 to 2017.

The selection was announced during the 21st Session of the UNWTO General Assembly and the 56th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for the Americas, which concluded on August 29 at Victoria Falls, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“Ecuador is honored to join this distinguished council towards the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism,” said Luis Falconi, Vice Minister, Ministry of Tourism, who said: “Conscious tourism is a guiding principle in Ecuador’s tourism industry, and we look forward to our continued collaboration with the innovators and visionaries of this organization.”

The Executive Council is the highest decision-making body of the UNWTO, tasked with taking all necessary measures for the implementation of decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly.

The session was chaired by UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai, with the participation of 156 Ministers and High Authorities of Tourism of the member states of the organization.

During the meeting, global tourism authorities also discussed the state of the tourism sector worldwide as well as the events related to the upcoming celebration of World Tourism Day, to be held on September 27 in Maldives, with the theme "Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future.”