South Korea will host the 16th Global Forum on Tourism Statistics under the auspices of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) next year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday.

The decision was made unanimously at the 104th session of the OECD Tourism Committee in Paris, France.

The event can bring around 600 participants from government, academic, business and technology sectors around the world, helping to generate revenue of 3 billion won, the ministry added.

Next year’s forum will have more topics like 5G communications technologies and big data to discuss future policies for industrial changes. The tourism ministry is planning to introduce exemplary cases of local tourism industry also at the forum.

The OECD Tourism Committee, founded in 1948, analyzes and monitors policies and structural changes affecting the development of domestic and international tourism. The committee is expanding its global reach by cooperating closely with 35 partner countries including Korea, the vice chair.

“The hosting of the OECD tourism forum next year will help understand the latest trend in the tourism industry and raise global awareness for Korean tourism,” said a ministry official.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment announced recently that the fourth UN Environment Assembly’s forum of ministers and environment authorities of Asia and the Pacific will be held next year in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

Heads of state, ministers and environmental authorities from all 41 member states across Asia and the Pacific will meet in Korea to discuss environmental issues in the fast-growing region and identify key priorities to solve the problems.

By Ji Hong-goo and Lee Ha-yeon

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