The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is set to establish a Tourism Law Observatory for the Middle East. This pioneering initiative will support the development and harmonization of legal and regulatory frameworks for tourism across the region.
The Tourism Law Observatory for the Middle East will serve as a knowledge hub and digital platform that systematically collects, organizes, analyses, updates and disseminates tourism-related laws and regulations in the region, with the support of a network of individual experts and academic collaborators. It will also issue publications, recommendations, and organize conferences and seminars on topics of special interest.
The initiative aligns with the broader mandate of UN Tourism’s Tourism Law Observatories, a flagship initiative endorsed by the 25th General Assembly. These Observatories represent a long-term, large-scale initiative led by UN Tourism to be developed across its five different regions, with a view to fostering the progressive harmonization of Tourism Law at the international level, thus enhancing legal security and benefiting all tourism operators.
As the first of its kind in the region, the Tourism Law Observatory represents a milestone for UN Tourism, reflecting its commitment to support Member States of the Middle East in addressing key challenges and complexities of tourism legislation. Key objectives will include:
- Development and Improvement of Legal Frameworks: To optimize legal and regulatory frameworks applicable to tourism, encouraging progressive regulatory harmonization in areas requiring supranational intervention.
- Fostering Regional Regulatory Cooperation: To foster effective communication among all tourism stakeholders, by providing a platform for regional dialogue and allowing countries to share experiences, learn from each other, and collectively address common challenges.
- Optimization of Governance Models: To optimize governance models of the tourism sector, by promoting the active participation of various stakeholders throughout the regulatory process.
Following the successful launch of the first Tourism Law Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)—a collaborative effort with the Inter-American Development Bank and currently operating in the UN Tourism’s Thematic Office hosted in Montevideo, Uruguay—UN Tourism is now advancing similar efforts in the Middle East.
The new Observatory will be established through the UN Tourism’s Regional Office for the Middle East. Once operational, it will mark a significant step toward replicating the Observatory`s model across all regions, supporting the long-term vision of a more harmonized legal framework on Tourism Law.
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