CAMPECHE, Mexico, Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- During the 94th meeting of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization taking place in Campeche, Mexico, high level executives of 14 prominent tourism companies signed the "World Ethics Code for Tourism." The document will serve as a global reference point to foster responsible tourism with the rights of people and care for the environment front of mind.

During the ceremony, Mexico's Secretary of Tourism Gloria Guevara, the Governor of Campeche Fernando Ortega Barnes and the Secretary General of the UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, said it is important to have entrepreneurial ventures to promote responsible tourism.

During the event Taleb Rifai honored Secretary Gloria Guevara for her work in boosting tourist activity.

Secretary Guevara said responsible tourism is more important than ever and spoke of the signing of the National Code of Conduct for the Protection of the Rights of Children in the Travel and Tourism Sector.

She pointed out that tourism is most impactful when the respect of the rights of people and environment is kept.

The World Ethics Code for Tourism of the UNWTO outlines the principles that guide the actors of tourist development. It is a framework for governments, companies, communities and tourists that aims to increase the benefits of tourism and reduce carbon footprint and damage to the environment, a cultural and social heritage.

The code was approved in 1999 by the General Assembly of the UNWTO and recognized two years after by the General Assembly of the UN. Even though this is not legally binding, the code incorporates a mechanism of voluntary application that recognizes the role of the World Committee of Tourism Ethics, and independent and impartial organism where parties can solve differences.

The 10 principles of the code cover economic, social, cultural and environmental issues of travel and tourism such as understanding and respect between nations and societies; tourism as an instrument for personal and collective development; tourism as a factor for sustainable development and a factor for the enrichment of the cultural heritage.

It also promotes the responsibility of agents of tourist development, tourism as a right, the freedom for tourist movement, the rights of workers and businessmen and the application of the Ethics Code.

During the signature 14 companies and organizations of the tourist sector like: AeroMexico, AM Resorts, the Mexican Association of Hotels and Motels, The Confederation of National Commerce Chambers, Services and Tourism, Hoteles Mision, the National Tourist Confederation, Palace Resort, the Federation of Haciendas of Mexico, and RCI–Latin America & Caribbean.

CAMPECHE PERFORMS THE TOURISM RESEARCH CONGRESS

The Ministry of Tourism of Mexico, Gloria Guevara, closed the XIV National Congress and VIII International Congress of Tourism Research, that took place in the City of Campeche, in the framework of the 94th Meeting of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) that helped analyze the current conditions of tourism worldwide.

The head of the Ministry said it is important to incorporate students and trained personnel in tourism, as this strengthens the sector and she noted that quality services attract more visitors and thereby generate income and employment sources.

She mentioned that there are currently agreements with 135 universities engaged in specialized human capital formation in tourism issues.

Mexico is a leader in cultural tourism, which represents an important segment and efforts are aimed at increasing the number of domestic and foreign visitors.

During the meeting, Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the UNWTO, said that we live the era of travel, since the possibilities of transportation made any destination in the accessible, and therefore tourism becomes a major source of development.

In addition, he acknowledged the work of the Secretary Gloria Guevara Manzo in favor of tourism, said that Mexico has been successful in placing the industry in a privileged place on the national agenda.

In parallel, the UNWTO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Universidad Anahuac, which enables the creation of the Masters Degree in Tourism.

The signature was in charge of Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, and the head of Universidad Anahuac, Jesus Quirce Andrew, Secretary Guevara acted as the witness of honor.

Campeche was also host of the Network Knowledge of the UNWTO Americas Regional Meeting. The meetings had the presence of researchers and scholars from around the world who discussed issues such as the measurement and management of social, economic and cultural tourism.

The academic meetings were held from 22 to 24 October, with the aim to promote the analysis and exchange of experiences between different groups conducting applied research on issues proposed solutions to various areas related to the tourism sector, and identify the current and future challenges in research applied to this activity.

The theme of the presentations included aspects such as measurement of tourism (design and implementation of tourism observatories), tourism and development; social impact and development of tourism in Mexico tourism governance; design, implementation and evaluation of public policies in tourism, and improvements in corporate governance.

SOURCE Mexico Tourism Board