UNWTO Partners CNN International

UNWTO and CNN International are moving ahead with their strategic partnership signed last month between the Organization and CNN Tourism, Advertising Solutions and Knowledge (TASK). The UNWTO and the TASK Group will share content, join forces on industry newsletters and cross promote services across each other’s respective platforms.

UNWTO Secretary-General ad interim Taleb Rifai said the strategic partnership is “a significant step towards highlighting the economic, cultural, social, environmental and political potentials of travel and tourism. The travel and tourism industry continues to grow, employing hundreds of millions of people, contributing to the socio-economic development of the world’s poorest countries. Yet, its future depends on the realisation of its potential and its integration into the global economic and political agenda. This partnership provides the opportunity to maximize tourism’s benefits in a highly competitive market through the support of CNN Task Group’s destination marketing as an additional support element.”

Now in its third year of global operations, the TASK Group is a bespoke client service comprising a team of external experts in tourism and economic development, that works closely with CNN to support clients to create tourism communications solutions.

Rani R Raad, SVP CNN International Ad Sales said, “CNN is proud to join with the UNWTO to demonstrate our commitment to the development and growth of the travel and tourism sector. We work closely with country tourism ministries and are acutely aware of the importance of the industry as the global economy looks to repair itself. This partnership gives both organisations the opportunity to offer unique expertise at a critical time.”

The alliance will specifically include TASK support at key UNWTO member and general tourism sector initiatives, such as the UNWTO/South Africa International Summit on Tourism, Sport and mega-Events (24-26 February 2010)ongoing activities such as the promotion of the UNWTO Roadmap for Recovery or regular campaigns as World Tourism Day (27 September).

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