Reviewing the issue of hotel classification, Ghassan Aïdi was pleased to note that UNWTO had a good understanding of the reasons why IH&RA remains firmly opposed to an international classification scheme, and the related issue of international standards for tourism services designed to underpin this initiative. He stressed that IH&RA fully supported classification initiatives at the national and regional levels. Francesco Frangialli had on a number of occasions given assurances to IH&RA Congress delegates that UNWTO would not embark on any work on an international scheme. However, both organisations agreed on the need to provide assistance to emerging and developing countries seeking to establish a national hotel classification scheme. Henryk Handszuh, Head of the Quality Support Department, indicated that Ethiopia was one such country and the Secretary General suggested the two organizations could cooperate in a pilot project there.

IH&RA informed UNWTO of its work in the area of crisis and risk management and prevention, both via the UNEP/APELL pilot project in South East Asia, and the Hospitality Security Guidelines to be prepared by the IH&RA Global Council on Security. This work will complement UNWTO’s own work on crisis communication and post-crisis recovery strategies and it was agreed to share outcomes.

As a founding member of UNWTO Task Force on protecting children from commercial sexual exploitation in tourism, Ghassan Aïdi confirmed IH&RA’s on-going commitment to this work He also expressed his concern for the wider issue of child labour, an area covered by the UNWTO Code of Ethics for Tourism and other international instruments, and where further work remained to be done.

Meeting later with the new CEO of the UNWTO Business Council, Carlos Romero, Avi Rosental stressed the need to continue the excellent cooperation with the Market Research & Promotion Department on tourism (& hospitality) statistics. IH&RA held one of the Vice-Presidencies on the Council and would work to improve private-public sector relations – and to encourage the Council to focus on areas of practical assistance to industry, such as enhanced statistics.