Russia to withdraw from UN tourism organization

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said on Wednesday that Russia has announced its intention to withdraw from the body.

Moscow’s decision came just as members of the Madrid-based tourism body were preparing to vote on suspending Russia’s membership due to its aggression against Ukraine.

The secretary-general announced the move on Twitter, adding: “Our statutes are clear: promotion of tourism for peace and universal respect for human rights. Only Members that abide by this can be part of the UNWTO.”

In March, after a previous meeting on the issue, the organization’s executive council said that beyond violating the organization’s values, Russia’s attack “risks further delaying the
already weak and uneven recovery of international tourism following on from the worst crisis in the history of the sector.”

By the end of last year, international tourist arrivals were still 71% below the pre-pandemic levels.

“The offensive risks hampering the return of confidence in global travel at a moment when recovery has started to gain traction and an increasing number of destinations are removing travel restrictions,” said the organization in a statement.

“The US and the Asian source markets, which have recently started to open up again, could be particularly impacted, especially regarding travel to Europe, as they are historically more risk-averse. This could be particularly harmful for those economies that are especially reliant on tourism’s economic and social benefits.”

According to the UNWTO, Russian tourists spent $36 billion abroad in 2019.

The organization also said the ban on Russian carriers is disrupting flights across a wide area, leading to longer and more expensive flights.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which started on Feb. 24, has drawn international outrage, with the EU, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.