World Tourism Organization visits IFT

The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, recently visited the Mong-Há Campus of the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) and discussed potential opportunities for further cooperation in education, including at the postgraduate level.

Pololikashvili, accompanied by a delegation of UNWTO officials, was welcomed by IFT president Fanny Vong, according to a statement issued by the institute.

IFT is a long-standing partner of the UNWTO. In April 2013, the two parties signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen mutual ties.

In 2016, the IFT Library became the first academic facility in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan to be included in the UNWTO Depository Library program. The initiative aims to expand public access to reports and other publications by the UNWTO.

Other recent examples of cooperation include the participation of the UNWTO officials in seminars and academic events hosted by IFT. IFT graduates can also take up internships at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid, Spain.

Through its Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training, IFT has been a cornerstone for the implementation of a memorandum of understanding between the SAR and the UNWTO on tourism education and training cooperation. Under this agreement, the center, set up by IFT in 2016, organizes training and education programs in collaboration with the UNWTO. The scheme aims to help tourism officials and industry professionals enhance their knowledge and skills.