UNWTO rebrands to UN Tourism: New vision for global travel

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

UNWTO rebranded as UN Tourism, unveiling a new identity, vision, and mission for sustainable global tourism and economic development.

Today marks the beginning of a transformative chapter for the global tourism leader under the United Nations, as it unveils its rebranding to UN Tourism. This rebranding reinforces its commitment as the United Nations’ dedicated agency for tourism, emphasizing its role in driving societal and economic advancements with a focus on ensuring the harmonious balance of “people and planet.”

To realize this vision, UN Tourism collaborated with Interbrand, a renowned international branding company. Interbrand effectively infused the Organization’s refreshed perspective on tourism into a new visual identity and narrative.

This transformation included a change in the Organization’s name, evolving from UNWTO to UN Tourism. Concurrently, a comprehensive brand narrative was developed, aligning perfectly with UN Tourism’s core mission and objectives. The narrative revolves around three key themes: the UN’s role as a benevolent global entity, the concept of uniting people worldwide, and the essence of proactive advancement.

Shifting from acronyms, UN Tourism embraces a more accessible identity, leveraging its strengths: the “UN” for its authoritative presence, and tourism as a universally understandable notion. This rebranding has received unanimous support from its members, signifying collective endorsement of UN Tourism’s significant transformation and rejuvenation in recent times. The Organization has grown more agile, prominent, and engaged with its Member States, partners, and the overall sector.

UN Tourism, headquartered in Madrid, Spain, and with Regional Offices in Nara, Japan (for Asia & Pacific), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (for the Middle East), and soon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (for the Americas) and Morocco (for Africa), comprises 160 Member States and numerous private sector affiliates. Its focus is on fostering sustainable tourism aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Global Goals. UN Tourism champions quality education, promotes decent job opportunities in the sector, identifies talent, fosters innovation, and spearheads initiatives for climate action and sustainability in tourism. This involves:

• Member States: As beneficiaries of its services and active contributors to its Program of Work.
• Individuals: Including travelers and local communities, whose lives are enriched through the economic upliftment via tourism.
• Various entities: Engaging with UN Tourism’s initiatives, including data analysis, events, and products.

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, said: “As society progresses, the tourism sector, much like many other sectors, needs to transform to serve as a catalyst for prosperity at a universal scale. Enhancing the well-being of individuals, safeguarding the natural environment, stimulating economic advancement, and fostering international harmony are key goals that are the fundamental essence of UN Tourism. The organization takes on the role of driving a sustainable force that is now central to many economies.”

Borja Borrero, Executive Director at Interbrand, said: “Transitioning from UNWTO to UN Tourism marks a significant new phase for the organization. The revised nomenclature offers several advantages, including simplicity, enhanced comprehension, improved legibility and memorability. It also serves to clarify the agency’s sphere of influence within the global tourism industry. The new elements of the brand are the foundations of a distinct and proprietary image – one that is direct, relatable, and relevant for diverse audiences.”

The rebranding is not just verbal and narrative; it extends into a fresh visual language. The new emblem for UN Tourism embodies the slogan “Bringing the world closer,” depicting a Pangea-like human figure in motion. This significant shift from previous globe imagery highlights the dynamic aspect of tourism and the prioritization of people.

The rebrand encompasses a complete overhaul of the visual system, grounded in a geographical grid to guide interaction with the brand’s physical and digital touchpoints, including events, website, reports, social media, and campaigns. This framework offers a diverse array of elements such as images, typography, color schemes, and icons, all designed to enhance social media initiatives, events, postings, and videos.

The new brand identity will be progressively integrated across all UN Tourism touchpoints over the coming months, starting with digital platforms like the website, social media, and newsletters, then extending to physical locations like offices and events, as well as materials like reports and stationery.

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