The country's Tourism chief will represent the country at the upcoming 25th United Nations World Tourism Organization General Assembly next week to learn from her counterparts and present the country's initiatives to revive the tourism industry that was hard-hit hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UNWTO-GA is set for 18 to 19 October 2023 at Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

According to Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the country's participation in the UNWTO General Assembly is important as the global gathering sets the stage for the country's tourism resurgence. the Philippines having been elected Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific of the UNWTO.

"We are honored to represent the Philippines at this gathering of global tourism leaders to exchange insights that will surely strengthen the Philippines' standing as a sustainable tourism destination and illuminate the way towards the tourism transformation envisioned by our President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.," the tourism chief said

The GA will be presided over by Uzbekistan as the elected president, with the attendance of commission vice chairs Algeria and the United Republic of Tanzania for Africa, Argentina and Paraguay for the Americas, the Philippines for East Asia and the Pacific, Hungary for Europe, the United Arab Emirates for the Middle East and the Maldives for South Asia.

The Philippines, represented by Frasco, was also elected chair of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific.

As commission chair, the country will preside over the meetings to tackle concerns within the region. The chairmanship also grants the Philippines the opportunity to showcase the country by hosting the Joint Commission Meeting of the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific, and the Commission for South Asia in Cebu next year.

The supreme governing body of the UNWTO will bring together more than 150 tourism ministers and delegates from different countries for high-level discussions on policies to foster innovation and education for the current and future status of the global tourism industry.

For the 25th UNWTO General Assembly, the tourism chief will also specifically represent the country in the UNWTO Global Education Forum.

The discussions will likewise explore opportunities for shaping new policies, effective instruments and global partnerships to support inclusive and sustainable tourism development while addressing skills gaps and creating value-added jobs.