UNWTO Silk Road Task Force to Meet at Routes Silk Road

PR56347

MANCHESTER, England, Apr.1, 2014 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

    Routes and UNWTO to strengthen its partnership in Georgia

    The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will be holding its Silk Road Task

Force meeting during this year's Routes Silk Road event which will take place

in Tbilisi, Georgia on 6-8 July.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140331/678619 )

    This announcement comes soon after an agreement was reached at ITB in

Berlin between Routes (part of UBM live) and UNWTO to work together in

advancing matters related to air connectivity and travel facilitation.

    "UNWTO's joint research with WTTC clearly demonstrates the impact that visa

facilitation can have on economic growth and job creation. Routes Silk Road

2014 is an excellent initiative that will surely help address the travel

facilitation challenges along this tourism route and we are thus very happy to

hold the UNWTO Silk Road Task Force meeting alongside Routes. Moreover, with

its forward-thinking approach to visas and its open skies policy, Georgia is an

ideal destination to host such an event, and I must congratulate Georgia for

winning the bid. UNWTO looks forward to working together with Routes and

Georgia to make this edition the best yet", said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO

Secretary-General.

    "Following the announcement of our partnership we are thrilled that UNWTO

has decided to hold its Silk Road Task Force meeting at our event in July,"

said Katie Bland, Director Routes, UBM Live continuing: "Routes Silk Road will

be held in Georgia which is a gateway connecting several important economic

regions including Europe, the New Independent States (NIS) and Central Asia and

as such it is the ideal location for Routes Silk Road and the UNWTO Silk Road

Task Force. Holding this important meeting alongside our own event will further

strengthen our partnership and we are excited about the opportunities this

provides Routes."

    The UNWTO Silk Road Task Force meeting brings together key representatives

from Silk Road destinations, United Nations agencies, the private sector and

associations to discuss and plan priorities for tourism development along this

ancient route. The meeting aims to raise the profile of tourism along the Silk

Road and drive sustainable and responsible tourism development by enhancing

cooperation between the countries along the Silk Road.

    Routes Silk Road, which will be hosted by United Airports of Georgia (UAG)

under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, is

the route development forum that connects CIS, Central and Eastern Europe,

Middle East and Asia.

    Notes to Editors

    About Routes

    Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events

through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is

one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas

and CIS respectively. http://www.routesonline.com

    Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK-based ASM Ltd., a

consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports.

http://www.asm‐global.com. Routes and ASM are part of the UBM Live division of

UBM plc.

    UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across

five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products,

promote their brands and expand their markets.  Through premiere brands such as

MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes

portfolio of events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions,

conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and

certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies

across more than 20 industry sectors. http://www.ubmlive.com

Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes, @NLPROU,

@airlineroute

    About UBM plc

    UBM plc is a global events-led marketing services and communications

company.  We help businesses do business, bringing the world's buyers and

sellers together at events and online, as well as producing and distributing

news and specialist content.  Our 5,500 staff in more than 30 countries are

organised into expert teams which serve commercial and professional

communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively

and efficiently.

    For more information, go to http://www.ubm.com; follow us on Twitter at

@UBM_plc to get the latest UBM corporate news; follow @UBM for news from all

UBM's businesses; follow @UBM for a flavour of UBM from selected members of

UBM's Twitterati.

    SOURCE: UBM Live Routes Ltd