World Tourism Organization Protesting Travel Advisories

June 20, 2003

World Tourism Organization Protesting Travel Advisories
The World Tourism Organization (WTO) plans to fight the United Nations General Assembly soon against what they call "unfair and harsh" travel advisories in relation to SARS that were issued by Western nations and the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to news reports, the group believes the travel advisories issued in the last several months in relation to SARS had a greater affect on travel to Asian countries than the events of Sept. 11. Officials from the WTO said the group has formed a Recovery Committee that will meet with the ministries of foreign affairs of different countries to discuss the consequences of travel advisories on the tourism industry.

Beijing remains the only country still affected by a WHO travel advisory as a result of SARS. The warning in Taiwan was lifted earlier this week after the WHO declared SARS was stopped "dead in its tracks."

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