7 October 2009: The 18th session of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly is convening in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 5-8 October 2009. The session aims to determine how the tourism industry can surmount the decline brought on by the economic crisis while responding to the twin challenges of climate change and poverty alleviation.

Tourism ministers and senior officials from national organizations, as well as public, private and academic affiliate members, will discuss the UNWTO’s Roadmap for Recovery, which calls on world leaders to place tourism and travel at the core of stimulus packages and the transformation to the Green Economy. Other key issues to be addressed include the facilitation of tourist travel, pandemic preparedness in the framework of influenza (H1N1), and technical cooperation to promote sustainable development through travel. [UN press release]