Relating to the hosting of the UNWTO Conference on Religious Heritage and Tourism:
How to increase religious heritage tourism in a changing society (hereinafter, the
“conference”) in Utrecht, the Netherlands on 5 to 7 October 2016 by the Government
of the Kingdom of the Netherlands;
Whereas the Government of Kingdom of the Netherlands (hereinafter, the “Government”),
duly represented by its Ambassador Matthijs van Bonzel, will be hosting the conference;
which is of special interest to the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Ministry of Education,
Culture and Science of the Netherlands, an Agency that supports activities that contribute
to the national heritage management;
Whereas the World Tourism Organization (hereinafter referred to as “UNWTO” or the
“Organization”), represented by its Secretary-General Mr. Taleb Rifai, is a specialized
agency of the United Nations and the leading public international organization in
the field of tourism, with a membership encompassing 163 countries and territories
and more than 480 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational institutions,
tourism associations and local tourism authorities;
Whereas UNWTO wishes to conduct a conference on “Religious Heritage and Tourism: How
to increase religious heritage tourism in a changing society” with the objective to
discuss the interaction between religious heritage and tourism and how this linkage
could be further enhanced in a sustainable way and the Government is willing and able
to host it;