Gender Equality in the Tourism Industry

Message of Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women on the occasion of the First International Congress on Ethics and Tourism, Madrid, Spain, 15-16 September 2011.

Mr. Secretary General; Excellencies; Distinguished Delegates; and Executives of the Hospitality Industry:

It is my great pleasure to join you today at the First Conference on Ethics and Tourism organized by the World Tourism Organization and the Government of Spain.

Sound ethical practices underpin a sustainable and responsible tourism industry that invests in equal pay, gender equality, and protects our environment. A solid foundation has been provided by the Global Code for Ethics in Tourism adopted by the UN World Tourism Organization in 1999 and promoted by the United Nations General Assembly. The Global Code in its Article II920 calls upon all stakeholders to respect and advance the goal of equality between men and women.