UNWTO releases global tourism recovery package
Following its report that estimated a decline in international tourist numbers by 60 to 80 per cent in 2020 and effect a US$1.2 trillion export revenue loss for global tourism, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released a Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package
The organisation’s package provides technical support for a structured economic recovery, marketing and promotion, and institutional strengthening and resilience building. It is designed to support governments, the private sector and donor agencies facing the current socio-economic crisis by identifying three potential areas of intervention for them, through which they can accelerate the recovery of tourism. These areas are economic, promotional, and institutional.
The COVID-19 Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package encourages the introduction of policies and measures to stimulate the economic recovery of the tourism sector; it offers technical assistance to identify markets that can help accelerate recovery, addressing product diversification, and (re)formulating marketing strategies and promotional activities; and advises upon the enhancement of public-private partnerships, promoting other collaborative efforts for tourism recovery, and enhancing skills in crisis management and recovery.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili commented: “We must support the tourism sector now with real actions while we prepare for it to come back and be stronger and more sustainable. Recovery plans and programmes for tourism will translate into jobs and economic growth, not just within tourism itself, but across the whole of societies. This package of support will help governments and business implement our Recommendations for Recovery.”
UNWTO’s support package can be accessed here.