5th UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics-Tourism: An Engine for Employment Creation

Bali, Indonesia, 1 April 2009 ” Nearly 450 participants from 66 nations, two territories and nine international organizations gathered in Bali to address the important issue of tourism as a tool to create job opportunities. The tourism industries continue to be one of the most dynamic sectors of economic activity, generating a wide range of benefits including foreign exchange earnings and a growing contribution to the GDP which in some cases reaches over 10%.

The 4-day Conference started with technical sessions on the 30th of March to discuss the 2008 International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics, the revision of the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA),

as well as to address the issue of the measurement and quality of employment in the tourism industries. The employment was first identified as an important component of the economic analysis of tourism and the need for developing a human resources module was agreed at the Vancouver Conference on TSA (May, 2001).

Speakers agreed to protect and promote TSA as a powerful brand which should be carefully developed and applied for the measurement of tourisms contribution to national economies. The expansion of TSA to many countries, both developed and developing, was echoed by many panelist and the effective communication to utilize the TSA for various users was also underscored.

At the ministerial sessions, all speakers recognized the crucial role of tourism to create job opportunities al all times and especially during the current financial and economic crisis, and identified key challenges in establishing sustainable policies to enhance employment in the tourism industries both in quantity and quality. It was highlighted that governments, the private sector and trade unions should work together to ensure the full implementation of the Decent Work Agenda in the tourism industries.

The conference was jointly organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and te Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, with the support of the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Organization for economic Cooperation and development (OECD). Among the participants, there were several ministers of tourism or labor, senior officials from National Tourism Administrations (NTAs), national statistical officials, other government departments, trade associations, trade unions and academic institutions.

This conference is the fifth edition of the UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics, held during the last two decades. In the previous four conferences in Ottawa (1990), Nice (!999), Vancouver (2001) and Iguau (2005), the core components of tourism statistics and TSA have been defined and established (UNWTO, Press Release)