With the travel and tourism sector suffering as a direct result of Covid-19, this is welcome news.

The new global call is seeking to reach the most disruptive startups and entrepreneurs and drive solutions to mitigate Covid-19 impacts on tourism through health, economic and destination management solutions

The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is a challenge we must face together

It is called the ‘Healing Solutions’ challenge, and is particularly looking for startups, entrepreneurs and innovators from all over the world with ready-to-implement solutions that can have an immediate positive impact on destinations, businesses and public health efforts.

The expected outcomes are to: support Member States and tourism stakeholders in identifying and mitigating global and local risks related to tourism; mitigation strategies, actions and instruments to evaluate risks of global and local importance; strengthen the co-ordination of all tourism stakeholders along the tourism value chain; implement measures to facilitate international travel, by ensuring the safe and efficient movement of travellers, including an exchange of information, development of standards and procedures meant to deter threats, reduce costs and safeguard the movement of travellers; and promote technology acquisition and facilitate investment.

Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO Secretary-General, said: "The worldwide coronavirus pandemic is a challenge we must face together ... our response must be calm, consistent and collective. Tourism will once be there to help people and communities recover from this setback."

Would-be participants can apply here.