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The UN World Tourism Organisation's (UNWTO) committees on ethics and statistics have met up to underline the importance of responsible tourism and other issues.

A meeting was held at the UNWTO headquarters on 13 and 14 March to discuss the sense of responsibility that should be inherent in the travel industry and also the economic impact of the sector.

Members of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics said it was important to promote the value of sound and sustainable travel and discourage 'opportunistic and unguided' tourism.

David de Villiers, the newly-elected president of the committee, said a code had been created to help the industry to operate responsibly.

'The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism is designed to help the industry achieve the UN millennium development goals,' he said.

'It is a practical framework to maximise the positive cultural economic and humanising potential of tourism.'

A meeting of the UN Committee of Statistics also took place recently and looked at how to reinforce the potential of the travel industry as a catalyst of change and innovation across the world.

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