TUNIS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia has obtained a seat in the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council, Tunisian Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts said on Tuesday.
Out of 11 African candidate countries, six countries including Tunisia will represent the African continent until the year of 2023, under a decision made during the 23rd session of the UNWTO General Assembly held in Saint Petersburg in Russia on Sept. 9-13, the ministry said in a statement.
"As a result of obtaining this seat, Tunisia will participate in the decision-making and development of the future strategies of the organization, which will support it to promote national tourism," the statement added.
Official statistics showed that tourist arrivals in Tunisia rose to 5.44 million by Aug. 10 this year, up by 12.8 percent from the same period last year.
Tunisia expects to receive 9 million tourists in 2019, up from 8 million last year.
The 23rd session of the UNWTO General Assembly, an international meeting to address world tourism issues, was attended by representatives from more than 150 countries.
