UN World Tourism Organization rebrands to UN Tourism
Interbrand commissioned for the makeover
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has rebranded itself as UN Tourism to affirm its role as the United Nations specialised agency for tourism.
The new branding was unveiled at the opening of Madrid’s FITUR Tourism Congress, showcasing a fresh logo that incorporates a dynamic human figure in motion. Accompanied by the tagline ‘Bringing the world closer’, the rebranding signifies a significant change for the entity.
To achieve the transformation, UN Tourism enlisted the expertise of Interbrand, a renowned global branding agency. The collaboration resulted in a revamped visual identity and a compelling brand narrative that aligns seamlessly with UN Tourism’s central mission and priorities.
No acronyms
A key aspect of this rebranding effort is adopting the name ‘UN Tourism’, moving away from acronyms to create a more approachable image. This change capitalises on the strength of the ‘UN’ brand, symbolising authority, and the simplicity and relatability of the term ‘tourism’. The move has garnered strong support from the organisation’s membership, emphasising a united front for the profound reinvention of UN Tourism.
UN Tourism’s bold rebranding signals its commitment to shaping a more impactful and sustainable future for global tourism. The core of UN Tourism’s mission revolves around enhancing individual well-being, safeguarding the natural environment, promoting economic advancement, and fostering international harmony.
With 160 member states and numerous private sector affiliates, the organisation operates globally, with headquarters in Madrid, Spain, and regional offices covering Asia & Pacific, the Middle East, and forthcoming offices for the Americas and Africa.
UN’s 2030 Agenda
UN Tourism’s priorities align with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Global Goals. The organisation promotes sustainable tourism development, quality education, job creation, talent identification, and innovation while driving climate action and sustainability in the tourism sector.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, highlighted the organisation’s role as a catalyst for universal prosperity.
He stated: “As society progresses, the tourism sector needs to transform to serve as a sustainable force central to many economies.”
Borja Borrero, Executive Director at Interbrand, elaborated on the advantages of transitioning from UNWTO to UN Tourism, citing simplicity, enhanced comprehension, improved legibility, and memorability. The new brand, he explained, creates a distinct and relevant image for diverse audiences.
The rebranding extends beyond words and messages to a reinvented visual discourse. The new design language, centred around the tagline ‘Bringing the world closer’, features a symbol representing a Pangea shaping a human figure in action.
This departure from the former globe symbols underscores the organisation’s emphasis on the dynamic nature of tourism and prioritising people.
The visual system overhaul includes a grid of geographical coordinates, facilitating navigation across UN Tourism’s offline and online touchpoints. This system unlocks a rich universe of elements, including imagery, fonts, colours, and pictograms, designed to personalise social media campaigns, events, posts, and videos.
The phased implementation of the new brand will unfold over the next few months, starting with digital channels and gradually extending to physical spaces, events, reports, and stationery.
Featured image: The UN Tourism logo incorporates a dynamic human figure in motion. Image: Interbrand/UN Tourism
