United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks on the situation regarding the COVID-19 at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 24, 2020.(Salvatore Di Nolfi/KEYSTONE/Pool via Xinhua)

"Tourism's response needs to be measured and consistent, proportionate to the public health threat and based on local risk assessment, involving every part of the tourism value chain - public bodies, private companies and tourists, in line with WHO's overall guidance and recommendations," says the joint statement issued by the UNWTO and WHO.

MADRID, Feb. 26 -- The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a joint statement on Wednesday, calling for responsibility and coordination regarding the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.

In the face of travel restrictions in some parts of the world and an expected drop in tourist numbers in the coming weeks and months, the UNWTO, which has its headquarters in the Spanish capital of Madrid, said the two organizations "are committed to working together in guiding the travel and tourism sectors' response to COVID-19."