When New York's twin towers tumbled on September 11, 2001, so too did the carefree attitude of the world's holidaymakers, sparking crisis in the tourism sector.

The World Tourism Organisation (WTO), a United Nations peak body for tourism globally, is spearheading a recovery strategy with major input from UQ experts within the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law.

The University of Queensland is one of the few universities working alongside WTO government and industry representatives to address issues of security, quality control and education.

"We are the only Australian university working at this level, advising the WTO," said Professor Chris Cooper, Head of the UQ School of Tourism and Leisure Management.

Professor Cooper, foundation Professor of Tourism at UQ and co-editor of Current Issues in Tourism, was among a select group invited last year to attend the WTO Leadership Forum in Greece.

The forum was convened by WTO's Business Council, a group of affiliate members including educational institutions and tourism companies, whose mission is to bolster the sector and foster success in smaller destinations.

UQ is playing a significant role, with involvement including Professor Jeff Wilks' Centre for Tourism and Risk Management. He is writing a manual for the WTO on health and safety issues.