United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) - Important Facts The important points concerning the UN World Tourism Organization are listed below. 1. It was established in 1974. 2. UNWTO is headquartered in Madrid, Spain. 3. United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESCO) is the parent organization of UNWTO. 4. 158 countries are members of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. United Nations World Tourism Organization - Roles & Responsibilities 1. Promote responsible and universally accessible tourism. 2. Special attention towards development of sustainable tourism in Small Islands Developing States (SIDS). 3. Promoting the potential of promoting tourism in fighting against poverty. 4. Successfully implemented Collaborative Actions for Sustainable Tourism (COAST) tourism project in Africa. United World Tourism Organization - World Tourism Rankings The United World Tourism Organization publishes the World Tourism Rankings 3 times in a year. The rankings are assigned by taking into account various indicators like number of international visitor arrivals, expenditures incurred by outbound travelers, revenue generated through inbound tourism. The countries ranked in top 10 of World Tourism Rankings as per 2018, as listed below. 1. France 2. Spain 3. United States 4. China 5. Italy 6. Turkey 7. Mexico 8. Germany 9. Thailand 10. United Kingdom. Tourism in India Tourism sector in India is an important component of India’s growth and Economy. Some of the important facts concerning Tourism in India are listed below. 1. Tourism in India generated revenue worth $ 240 billion in 2018. 2. The share of Tourism in Indian GDP was at 9.2% in 2018. 3. Tourism supported more than 42 million jobs. 4. Tourism sector generated 8.1% of India’s total employment. 5. By 2028, some studies have indicated that tourism in India is expected to grow by approximately 7% and it is expected to be a $ 450 billion industry. 6. As per report by Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, India is ranked at 34th position among 140 countries The Top 5 states/UT that received the highest number of Foreign Tourists as per 2017 are listed below. 1. Maharashtra 2. Tamil Nadu 3. Uttar Pradesh 4. Delhi 5. Rajasthan The Top 5 states that received the highest number of Domestic Tourists as per 2017 are listed below. 1. Tamil Nadu 2. Uttar Pradesh 3. Karnataka 4. Andhra Pradesh 5. Maharashtra The Ministry of Tourism is working on improving tourism in the following niche areas 1. Medical Tourism 2. Eco-tourism 3. Cruise 4. Rural Tourism As per 2018, the highest number of foreign tourists visiting India are from the following countries. 1. Bangladesh 2. United States 3. United Kingdom 4. Sri Lanka 5. Canada .