The World Tourism Organization is pushing tourism as one way to fight poverty, according to this press release. The U.N. body believes 2007 is a critical year for tourism to become a key tool in sustainable development. So book your travel to the developing and newly developed states. My vote would be for Sri Lanka, and Taiwan is a great spot, especially if you get to the south and interior. I was in both places last year and would highly recommend them. If you're worried about unrest in Sri Lanka, most of it is confined to the north. So instead of that Paris trip, why not a visit to Romania? Instead of Egypt, why not the newly opened Libya? Instead of Las Vegas, you could try Macau.

Against a projection of continuing worldwide growth in international tourism of more than 4% for international arrivals and revenues, Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli called for renewed effort to include sustainable tourism in the International development agenda, as a key tool to advance the Millennium Development Goals.

See the rest of the story for the UNWTO goals.

In other travel/international development news ...

South African resort scoops four five-star awards at property 'Oscars'.