WTO permanent activities include the collection and updating of available information on training needs and special activities include participation in technical cooperation projects for vocational training. Through its international centre for Advanced Tourism Studies (CIEST), it provides a comprehensive range of vocational training and permanent education programmes by correspondence and residential study circles.
WTO functions through its various organs. The responsibilities of these organs are well defined within the framework of the organization. The three main organs through which the WTO functions are:
(a) General Assembly
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(b) Executive Council
(c) The Secretariat
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(a) General Assembly:
The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the organization. It is also the sovereign body of the WTO. The General Assembly is composed of delegates representing full members, associate members and representatives of Affiliate Members. It meets every two years and may consider any question and make recommendations on any matter within the competence of WTO.
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It approves the organization’s general programme of work and provides general guidelines for the administration of the Organisation.
Subsidiary Organs Created by General Assembly: The General Assembly has created six subsidiary organs in the form of Regional Commissions. These are as follows:
Objectives of Subsidiary Organs: The task of the above six Regional Commissions of WTO set up by the General Assembly, is to implement the technical tourism recommendations of the Assembly in their respective regions.
The Regional Commissions ensure the implementation within their respective regions, of the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and the Executive Council.
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They function and operate within the framework of the organisation. The Regional Secretariats which are the integral part of the WTO Secretariat help the Regional Commissions in organising and convening their conferences and meetings.
(b) Executive Council:
The Executive Council consists of Full Members elected by the Assembly at a ratio of one member for every five full Members of the WTO Organisation with a view to achieving fair and equitable geographical distribution.
One Associate Member selected by the Associate Members of WTO and a representative of the Committee of Affiliate Members may participate in the work of the Executive Council without a right to vote.
The Executive Council’s task is to take all necessary measures in consultation with the Secretary General, for implementing the resolutions of the General Assembly. Composed of twenty- one Full members selected by the Assembly and Spain in its capacity as a Privileged Member, the council meets at least twice a year.
Subsidiary Organs Created By Executive Council: Subsidiary organs created by executive council are as follows:
(i) Technical Committee for Programme and Coordination (TCPC) (ii) Committee on Budget and Finance (CBF) (iii) Facilitation Committee (iv) Environment Committee
(v) Sub-Committee for the review of applications for affiliate membership (vi) Sub-Committee on Statistics (vii) Joint WTO-IATA Working Party.
The subsidiary organs of the Council meet on a regular basis to discuss matters falling within their competence and on which they report to the Council.
(c) Secretariat:
The Secretariat of the Organisation consists of the Secretary General and the staff members. The Secretary General is responsible for carrying out the general policy and work Programme of the organisation in accordance with the directions of the General Assembly and the Executive Council. The Secretary General ensures the legal representation of the organisation.
The present structure of the Secretariat comprises general management, one division (relations, cooperation and development), three services, (general administration, finance, conferences and documents), six sections (personnel, statistics, studies, Africans /Middle East, the Americas/Europe, East Asia and Pacific/South Asia) and four units (technical cooperation, vocational training, public information and publications, documentation and technical information).
The Organisation is performing extremely useful service of a concrete and creative character by facilitating the exchange of technical information, the making of specialized studies, the holding of special seminars adapted to world regional requirements and advanced vocational training courses.
The essentially practical nature of its work programme, tailored as it is to regional requirements, takes full cognizance of the problems peculiar to countries and regions
in all stages of development, such as investments, financial questions, physical planning and area development, economic analysis, marketing and market surveys all this not only with a secretarial approach but with a comprehensive concern from the point of view of the state.
The creation of WTO coincided with the universal recognition of tourism as an important instrument of economic and social development and its consequent ascendancy to full government responsibility.
An inter-governmental body of tourism officials, such as the WTO is empowered to act in the name of their governments and speak in terms of the impact of tourism on the balance of payments.
The creation of WTO thus is not only a proof that the states are fully conscious of their own responsibilities in the field of tourism, but also of the establishment of tourism to its rightful ranking at the international level.
The WTO’s activities cover all sectors of tourism on a worldwide basis. It provides an international forum where tourism officials, whether governmental or non-governmental, can discuss problems and exchange ideas.
Representatives of the private sector also have access to its membership. WTO works in close cooperation with almost all international organisations, the United Nations’ organisations in particular, as well as with commercial and non-commercial bodies involved in tourism.