UN Regional Workshop Focuses on Better Tourism Data for Sustainable Development

Kathmandu: The United Nations Regional Workshop on “Measuring Tourism: Better data for better tourism in Asia and the Pacific” commenced in Kathmandu on March 15, 2023. The three-day program is a joint collaboration between the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) of Nepal, and the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).

The opening ceremony was attended by high-level representatives from 11 countries including India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Maldives, Indonesia, Iran, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Korea, Thailand, Spain, and Nepal. The aim of the program is to discuss the measurement and use of tourism data for “People, Planet and Prosperity”.
The workshop is expected to increase the visibility and potential of Nepal as an ideal destination for regional and international conventions. It also provides a platform to gain insight into current and pertinent tourism topics and to share Nepal’s experiences with international delegates.

Hon’ble Tourism Minister Sudhan Kirati, who was present during the opening ceremony, delivered a special address acknowledging the importance of tourism data and its potential for use in policies and plans for steady tourism recovery in the wake of the pandemic.
During the panel discussion on “Measuring Tourism for People, Planet and Prosperity”, moderated by Ms. Eunji Tae from the UNWTO, high-level international delegates participated, including Dr. Ahmed Salih, State Minister of Tourism, Maldives; Dr. Thok Sokhom, Secretary of State, Ministry of Tourism Cambodia; Mrs. Pudji Ismartini, Deputy Chief of Distribution and Services Statistics, BPS-Statistics, Indonesia; Mr. Beka Jekeli, Director of External Relations, UNWTO; Mr. Suresh Adhikari, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; and Dr. Dhananjay Regmi, Chief Executive Officer of NTB.

The panel discussion brought out various issues regarding access, mining of data, and the use of data and analytics for the development of a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient tourism industry.

The program opened with remarks from Mr. Jakeli, Director of External Relations of the UNWTO. Mr. Jakeli emphasized tourism data analysis’s key role in formulating tourism plans and policies.

NTB CEO Dr. Regmi thanked UNWTO for choosing Nepal to host the important regional workshop. Dr. Regmi said the meeting would help develop a common perspective and agenda on tourism, data, and analytics among the world leaders in tourism present in the program.

The workshop will include technical sessions on the governance system of tourism statistics, concepts, definitions, data sources, and variables, and the Tourism Satellite Account system and its use. The workshop will also provide opportunities for sharing individual country cases, including success stories and challenges related to tourism data collection and use.

The high-profile workshop is expected to aid in directing and guiding the world’s tourism industry toward the path of revival and recovery, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.