$25.00 a year is all it takes to become part of the World Tourism Network as an observer. For $100.00 a year, a member (individual, corporate, or public sector) receives a prominent and searchable online profile and full member access.
A brand new WTN membership structure launched today
A new membership program was launched by WTN today, to make it possible for everyone and anywhere to become part of this emerging and fast-growing network with more than 18,000 observers and members in 133 countries.
Known already as the advocate for small- and medium-sized travel and tourism businesses, WTN is being recognized around the world as an emerging player with experienced and motivated leaders in the industry.
Premium membership options include an ever-increasing program for outreach, visibility, and advertising through partners and supporters, such as eTurboNews.
The base membership is for SMEs, including travel companies, DMCs, tour operators, transportation and hospitality companies, as well as tour guides, consultants, and experts in marketing and research.
Membership is also open to everyone who has an interest in SMEs, including large corporations in the travel, aviation, cruise, and hospitality industries, and tour operators who respect and appreciate the role SMEs contribute to the sector.
Tourism boards, ministers, policy makers, universities, and other associations, including trade shows and think tanks, are welcomed at WTN with open arms.
WTN recently established a growing network of chapters, such as in Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and other regions, taking concerns from the local to global level.
WTN works with media and is involved in advocacy work. There is always a story to tell by WTN and its members.
eTurboNews, as the founding member, has been a key communication partner, and 72 other media partners have joined this network as well. All together, they are the voice of the World Tourism Network.
The organization relies on members such as executive board member Rudolf Herrmann, who single-handedly built one of the most influential and largest LinkedIn discussion groups on sustainable travel tourism with more than 17,500 WTN members and observers participating.
WTN Members at TIME 2023 in Bali September 30, 2023
The first global summit concluded successfully in September in Bali, Indonesia, under the leadership of Mudi Astuti, Chairwoman of the Indonesia Chapter of WTN.
The medical tourism interest group emerged out of this summit and is spreading globally. Also, tourism police training presented by Dr. Peter Tarlow was a hot topic in Bali along with climate change. Professor Geoffrey Lipman, the first CEO of WTTC, and a former Assistant Secretary General for UNWTO, was in charge of this discussion.
WTN has partnered with World Travel Market London, IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America, and the Himalayan Travel Mart this year and showcased its strong entry as a leader in the sector.
How was WTN started?
In March 2022 in Berlin, Germany, the world was getting ready for the largest travel industry travel and tourism event – ITB – when Messe Berlin was forced to cancel this event on February 28, 2023, due to the new COVID-19 outbreak spreading in Italy.
Sponsored by eTurboNews, PATA, the African Tourism Board, and the Nepal Tourism Board made up of 42 tourism leaders met at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Berlin on March 3 to discuss the threat of this new virus to the travel and tourism industry.
This discussion was continued by Zoom and is known as the Rebuilding.travel discussion. With COVID progressing around the world, rebuilding.travel became the first and leading discussion on this issue and throughout the pandemic.
After more than 100 Zoom discussions, many involving high-level members of the tourism industry, these leaders set their focus on rebuilding the travel and tourism industry and dealing with the current challenges.
The WTN Founders Board includes:
Juergen Steinmetz, Publisher of eTurboNews
Dr. Peter Tarlow, Safety Security Expert for Safer Tourism and Tourism & More
Dr. Taleb Rifai, former UNWTO Secretary-General
Hon Alain St. Ange, former Minister of Tourism of Seychelles
Ivan Liptuga, Department of Culture International Relations and European Integration, Odesa, Ukraine
Rudolf Herrmann, Penang, Malaysia
Prof. Geoffrey Lipman, SUNx Malta
Vijay Poonoosamy, former VP of Etihad Airways, Mauritius
Snezana Stetic, Balkan Network of Tourism Experts, Serbia
Aleksandra Gardasaevic-Slavuljica, Director of Tourism, Montenegro
Deepak Ra Joshi, former CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal
Hon. Walter Mzembi, former Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe
Hon. Najib Balala, former Secretary of Tourism of Kenya
Cuthbert Ncube, President of the African Tourism Board
Mudi Astuti, Strategi Komunikasi Utama, Indonesia
Laura Mandala, Mandala Research, Virginia, USA
What would a global tourism organization be without an award and HEROES?
Heroes Travel Award
COVID-19 created many heroes in the travel and tourism industry. World Tourism Network awarded its “Hero” award title to contributors in the sector, regardless of position.
Heroes included Irish, a nurse at Makati Medical Center in Manila who bought a battery charger for a WTN member when he was out of contact and recovering in her hospital care.
The award has been bestowed upon the Hon. Alain St. Ange and the Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, who is behind the Resilience movement, and the driving force by the United Nations to establish a global Tourism Resilience Day.
It has also included people like Burkhard Herbote from Germany, who is known as the human version of a Wikipedia in tourism, and to Ivan Liptuga from Ukraine for his achievement associated with the “Scream for Ukraine” advocacy movement started by the World Tourism Network.
WTN Hero Aleksandra Gardasevic Slavuljica helped guide her country of Montenegro through the crisis in close cooperation with the World Tourism Network. She is now the Director of Tourism in the Government of Montenegro and is a proud destination member.
There is never a fee and no marketing fee for the Hero Award – only grateful recognition is associated with this reward. Find more information at www.heroes.travel
