We have to wake up quickly to revive tourism: UNWTO
Travel Biz News —
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has called on all the stakeholders to wake up quickly to start concrete action to revive tourism.
“Waking up quickly to start concrete action is of the essence so that we may face up to our shared challenge,” Zurab Pololikashvili , Secretary-General of UNWTO said in a message.
UNWTO urged all the partners in the European Commission, across the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions to embrace tourism like never before.
“This will ensure that tourism grows back stronger and better -but only if it has the right support from the highest levels of government and international organizations.”
Across the world, countries continue to count the cost of COVID-19: in lives lost, in economic disruption and in the threat to sustainable development where it’s most needed.
This week, the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund set the backdrop for global leaders to advance immediate response and the economic policies to chart a path towards a sustainable recovery. The meetings follow decisions made by the European Union and national governments across the world.
“Tourism must be recognized as a key pillar for building a better future in all world regions. Past recoveries prove that the importance of our sector cannot be overstated.”
“In Europe, the world’s leading tourism destination, the sector generated last year more than US$407 billion in international tourism receipts, providing more than 27 million jobs. And jobs are a lifeline for communities, including the most vulnerable members of society,”
Earlier, UNWTOs released a set of recommendations calling for urgent and strong support to help the global tourism sector not only recover from the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19 but to ‘grow back better’.
The recommendations are the first output of the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, established by UNWTO with high-level representatives from across the tourism sector and from within the wider United Nations system.
The recommendations are designed to support governments, the private sector and the international community in navigating the unparalleled social and economic emergency that is COVID-19.
April 15 , 2020
Image : Tourists in Hunan, China.- Travel Biz News
