United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

UN-Tourism-209x164

UN Tourism is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

Description of Activities on AI

Project 1: UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge

As part of the Programme: Startup Competitions and Innovation Challenges, UNWTO has launched the Awake Tourism Challenge, a global call with the aim of identifying the most disruptive start-ups working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on tourism.

Project 2: UNWTO Tourism Online Academy

While allowing for an inclusive recovery, UNWTO has also placed education as a key priority as the basis for added value jobs. For this reason, the UNWTO Tourism Online Academy has amplified its impact by allowing the global audience to develop vocational and managerial skills for tourism and hospitality with 20 courses from top institutions and over 15,000 students from all regions. Currently, partners are IE University, Sommet Education, Swiss Education Group, Totem Branding, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Externado de Colombia University, Palermo University, Bilkent University, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Recently, the platform launched the course “Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Hospitality: Challenges and Business Opportunities” by Swiss Education Group, which has been designed for students and practitioners to acquire the tools and know-how required to open the potential of AI and change the way businesses operate. They learn the various terminologies, meanings, and applications in diverse business areas such as Front Office, Customer Experience, Food & Beverage, Cost Optimisation, Sales & Marketing, Sustainability. Also, they can analyse how the unstoppable growth of AI can display diverse challenges to the world status quo, and they examine what can be considered ethical or a threat to the privacy laws due to illegal practices.

Project 3: UNWTO Jobs Factory

In order to link skills development to added-value jobs, UNWTO launched in 2021 its Jobs Factory in collaboration with Hosco, an AI-powered platform to matchmake job offer and demand, targeting both job seekers and corporations or Governments looking for talent. Currently, it offers over 57,000 job opportunities throughout the tourism and hospitality value chains.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)