Over 800 participants from 70 countries gathered in Muscat, capital of Oman on 11-12 December 2017 for the 2nd UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture.

The conference is an official event in the calendar of the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.

The Conference held under the patronage of H.H. Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers of Oman, brought together Ministers of Tourism and Ministers of Culture as well as private sector stakeholders and experts.

The meeting had the objective of building and strengthening partnerships between the tourism and culture sectors and enhance their role in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The conference reaffirmed commitment to strengthening the synergies between tourism and culture and advance the contribution of cultural tourism to the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs.

The conference also sought to enhance the role of tourism and culture in peace building and heritage protection, especially in conflict affected areas as well as promote responsible and sustainable tourism management of cultural heritage.

During the Conference, H.E. Ms. Eliza Jean Reid, First Lady of Iceland, was officially appointed the UNWTO Secretary-General as Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNWTO launched the Special Ambassadors for Tourism and the SDGs Programme as a legacy of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.