A team of experts from the United Nations World Tourism Organization arrived in Hamedan on May 2 for a preliminary meeting to discuss the scheduled programs for the city's hosting of the UNWTO's 40th Plenary Session of the Affiliate Members planned for November 12 to 14. Held annually, the Plenary Session provides the ideal setting for Affiliate Members to discuss the yearly program of work and collaborate on the establishment of partnerships and joint initiatives.
The Armenian capital Yerevan and the city of Chengdu in China hosted the 2016 and 2017 events respectively and it will be held in Hamedan this year. To make sure the event will be run smoothly, the three-member team made an on-site visit to the designated conference halls and reviewed the conditions for holding pre- and post-session tours and the process of establishing a special office building with the required equipment for the UNWTO officials, IRNA reported.
"Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization has tasked Alisadr Tourism Company to organize the event as planned by UNWTO," Hamidreza Yari, the company's CEO said. According to Yari, the preparations have entered the operational phase.
"Invitations have been sent to guests and arrangements are underway for visa issuance, hotel reservation, Tehran-Hamedan transportation and tours of the city before and after the event," Yari added.
Referring to the tours, Yari said creating the opportunity for the guests to visit Hamedan's historical sites can noticeably help promote the city's tourist spots, and Iran's travel potential in general, at an international stage.
Ali Malmir, head of provincial ICHHTO, said although more work is needed to turn Hamedan into an ideal tourism destination, it enjoys acceptable standards that have made it eligible to host the conference.
"High quality hospitality requires developing a tourist-friendly local culture as well as urban infrastructure," Malmir added.
The event is deemed an opportunity for collaboration between the private and public sectors in tourism throughout 2018 and beyond, pushing the city a step forward in tourism development.
"It will also be an appropriate field of competition for young entrepreneurs in the tourism industry to make themselves internationally known during the event," Malmir said.
Session's Missions
The Plenary Session will reportedly bring together over 500 travel-associated companies, educational and research institutions and NGOs from around the world.
Its principal mission is to foster relationships among affiliate members and member states and promote the mission of UNWTO and exchange of knowledge among experts.
UNWTO is the United Nations agency in charge of promoting responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It is the leading international organization in the field which promotes the industry as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.
According to the UNWTO's official website, this year's Plenary Session will be specifically devoted to exploring the pivotal role that private stakeholders can play to support the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Indeed, the involvement of the private sector, in close collaboration with policymakers, the development community and travelers, is today recognized as crucial to ensuring the power of tourism as an effective means for inclusive growth.
Through panel debates and lively discussions, the Plenary Session will therefore set the scene for the exchange of expertise and good practices to explore alternative ways to successfully engage all affiliate members in the development of sustainable tourism, inter-alia the United Nations efforts.
