The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on Tuesday issued a statement criticizing the decision taken by new U.S. President Donald Trump to prohibit the entry of citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen into the United States.
It says the Madrid-based UNWTO has long highlighted the importance of tourism and international travel, both for promoting sustainable economic growth in developing nations and increasing understanding between people from different countries and cultures.
The statement expresses the UNWTO's "deep concern and strong condemnation" of the ban, explaining such an action based solely on nationality was "contrary to the principles of freedom of travel and travel facilitation promoted by the international tourism community."
As a result, the ban, which has met with strong opposition and mass protests both in the United States and around the world, "will hinder the immense benefits the tourism sector brings in terms of economic growth and job creation to many countries... including the United States," says the statement.
UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai, a long-standing defender of freedom of movement, said that "isolationism and blind discriminatory actions will not lead to increased security, but rather to growing tensions and threats," warning the ban would have negative effects for the United States.
"The image of a country which imposes travel bans in such a hostile way will surely be affected among visitors from all over the world," which would risk lowering travel demand to the United States, Rifai said.
