WTO hold first meeting as UN specialised agency

THE executive council of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) recently held its first session as the governing body of a United Nations specialised agency and its first under the chairmanship of the new chairman, Vyacheslav Fetisov, chief of the federal agency for physical education, sport and tourism of the Russian Federation. The 73rd session of the executive council was held on July 8 and 9 in Hyderabad, India. Besides the Organisation's programme of work and administrative matters, the WTO governing body dedicated much of its time to issues such as the Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) initiative and the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. "Support to ST-EP of the executive council was outstanding and we are all looking forward to the launching of the ST-EP Foundation in Seoul," said WTO secretary-general Francesco Frangialli. "It was a very intense, but successful meeting. After changes in the Russian government, Fetisov took over the chairmanship of the executive council and introduced a great deal of fresh energy and ideas,” said Frangialli. (Lucy Siebert)