UNWTO Secretariat is pleased to inform you that, at the kind invitation of the Government of Tunisia, the 6th International Conference on Destination Management – “The Future of the Mediterranean Tourism” will be organized in Djerba, on 16 and 17 April, 2012 in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism of Tunisia.
As has been widely recognized, the Mediterranean is one of the most important tourism regions, which accounts for more than a third of total tourism revenues and half of all international arrivals. Nevertheless, along with the adverse impact of the economic crisis in source markets, the on-going political changes in North African and Middle Eastern countries and sustainability issues, as well as the need for investment and product rejuvenation in the highly developed mature destinations, could have adverse implications on the tourism sector of this region while some countries achieve seemingly positive results.
Despite being competitors, the challenges and opportunities also vary across the Mediterranean destinations in terms of level of development, performance and positioning. Therefore the priorities and the key policy initiatives will have to respond to specific needs.
The Conference aims at creating a platform for the Mediterranean destinations and the relevant partners of dialogue and shared-vision to re-evaluate their tourism industries in the context of sustainable development strategies, begin to consider re-structuring their industries and increase efficiency and competitiveness, form strategic alliances for co-operative promotion and marketing efforts in order to maintain a competitive edge in the global tourism market.
In light of the foregoing, we would like to extend an invitation to you and your administration to attend this conference and to participate actively in the discussions that could provide us with insights to the scenario of the future of Mediterranean Tourism.
