Unprecedented sanctions are being imposed on Russia, particularly in the field of tourism, even though Russia is one of the main players in the global tourism market and is a major supplier of tourists to many countries around the world. Russia may now lose the right to be a member of the World Tourism Organization at the United Nations. The former reason is the invasion of Ukraine. A decision on the issue will be made on March 8 in Madrid, UNWTO officials said.
While the war in Ukraine, which began on February 24, continues, sanctions against Russia continue to grow. A statement on the issue was made by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, headquartered in Madrid, Spain. The document said a request to “suspend Russia’s membership” in connection with the war in Ukraine had come from several countries, including Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia and Guatemala, and needed to be considered. Representatives were summoned to an emergency meeting scheduled for March 8. It is noted that the organization will discuss the suspension of the country’s membership for the first time in history.
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The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a specialized intergovernmental institution of the United Nations system, which will unite 156 member countries. The UNWTO operates on the basis of the Charter and the Financial Regulations attached to it, which entered into force on 2 January 1975. Russia, the successor to the former Soviet Union, has been a member of the UNWTO since 1975.