(TRAVPR.COM) BELGIUM - January 25th, 2018 - European Tourism Academy and European Council on Tourism and Trade (ECTT) had given the start for the 2018 competition for WORLD TOURISM AND TRAVEL AWARDS.

The European Council on Tourism and Trade Awards for tourism and travel are the flagship event for the global tourism sector.

Since their inception in 2006, these awards seek to highlight the work of countries, nations and regions and cities, recognizing nations and people’s strides for their innovative and determined tourism initiatives.

The WORLD TOURISM AND TRAVEL AWARDS are encompassing: THE WORLD CAPITAL OF CULTURE AND TOURISM for cities and regions and  WORLD`S BEST TOURIST DESTINATION AWARD for countries, the special category of FAVORITE CULTURAL DESTINATION and marking out outstanding cultural and investment tourism projects.

The contribution of the nations and leaders receiving world tourism and travel prizes is adjudged in line with ECTT guidelines for World Capital of Culture and Tourism and World Best Tourist Destination Award.

In the twelve consecutive edition, the ECTT-European Council on Tourism and Trade Awards recognized and promoted globally the tourism potentials of the most attractive tourist and cultural destinations.

President Dr. Anton Caragea and European Council on Tourism and Trade President Office staff will start from 29 January 2018 to receive the candidatures for word tourism accolades celebrated as Nobel`s or Oscar`s of tourism: the WORLD BEST TOURIST DESTINATION and WORLD CAPITAL OF CULTURE AND TOURISM competitions.

In 2017 European Tourism Academy had received 56 candidatures from cities, regions and countries from across the world and in 2018 this number is expected to expand.

 World Tourism and Travel Awards of world tourism institutions (European Council on Tourism and Trade ad European Tourism Academy) are significant for their track record in fostering growth and development in the decorated countries.

Laos (2013 winner has registered a growth of more than 1,5 million tourists and in total a plus of 3 million visitors for Lao-World Best Tourist Destination), Zimbabwe succeeded to garner a plus of 1 million visitors in 2014/2015 and Ethiopia obtained more than 1 billion in tourism-related receipts and 1,1 million visitors for 2015 as World`s Best Tourist Destination  and finally the Kingdom of Cambodia who topped the tourist growth worldwide in 2016 and 2017`s with a whopping 5 million tourists after being named World`s Best Tourist Destination.      

It is considered that European Council on Tourism and Trade succeeded in creating more than 100.000 jobs in the nations selected as World Best Tourist Destination (2016 survey).      

European Tourism Academy will start to analyze ongoing the candidatures for World`s Best Tourist Destination and World Capital of Culture and Tourism and will present the selected candidatures files for decision in General Assembly of European Council on Tourism and Trade declared Academician Mircea Constantinescu.

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