2nd T.20 Ministers' Meeting: Tourism and Development

All Regions
13 Oct 10

“Tourism can make an important contribution to the initiatives that the G-20 is undertaking to achieve shared growth beyond crisis, particularly in terms of global job creation and the development agenda. The tourism sector stands ready to work towards the common objectives of strong, sustainable and balanced growth”.

'Buyeo Declaration' (2nd T.20 Ministers´Meeting, Republic of Korea, 2010)

Overview

Tourism ministers from the world’s 20 largest economies have met in Buyeo, an ancient capital city of the Baekje Kingdom (18BC-660AD) in South Chungcheong Province, from Oct. 11 to 13 to discuss ways of turning tourism into a new growth engine for the global economy and development. The ministers and the highest authorities for Tourism from T.20 members explored potential for the tourism sector to support the world’s long-term transformation to a “green” economy, while promoting the cultural and societal diversity across the globe. They have also discussed profoundly the role of the tourism industry in helping developing countries achieve a sustainable growth.

The participants of the 2nd Tourism Ministers’ Meeting have issued the “Buyeo Declaration”, calling for the T20, the issue-driven initiative supported by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), to play a greater role in economic development and narrow the widening gap between rich and poor countries through tourism.

Background Reports

Tourism and the G-20: T.20 Strategic Paper

OVERVIEW AND CONCLUSIONS.

The main objective of this report is to identify the contribution of Travel and Tourism to economic growth and development. In particular, it will consider the actual and potential role of tourism in the recovery from the economic crisis, its sustained growth and the future transformation to sustainable development and a Green Economy. In so doing it seeks to demonstrate why the sector can be helpful to G-20 initiatives to respond to economic crises and encourage stable, sustainable growth.

Republic of Korea, 2010

The report considers the ways in which Travel and Tourism may support the evolving international architecture (the G-20 and related UN Strategy), with the objective of positioning Travel and Tourism in the global agenda as a sector that can seriously contribute to jobs, economic growth, and development. It identifies potentially relevant actions from the G-20, the World Bank and development assistance institutions, particularly with regard to trade, infrastructure, technology, and investment policies.

The report concludes with an Agenda for Action, summarizing key measures which could increase the contribution of the Travel and Tourism sector to promote a more inclusive globalization. It highlights the even more powerful role the sector could play in addressing the economic crisis, ensuring sustainable growth, employment, development and the longer term transformation to a green economy.

Full Report 'Tourism and the G-20: T.20 Strategic Paper'

UNWTO Study - 'Positioning Tourism in Economic Policy: Evidence and Some Proposals'

ABSTRACT.

With the rapid growth and diversification of tourism over the years has come the need for a more complete understanding of this global phenomenon and the measurement of its real impact on national economies. The increasingly significant effects of tourism on not only overall economic activity, but also on employment and the social fabrics as well as on the natural and built environment, and host communities, have engendered a pressing need for data to mainstream tourism into national and international economic agendas and support public policies.

The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) has put in place a powerful conceptual framework in order to allow for gathering statistics and indicators relevant not only for the tourism sector but also for the broader economic context that tourism is embedded in. This paper provides an overview of available official data to better understand the importance of tourism as an economic sector. The data relates tourism to other economic sectors as well as allows tourism to be monitored as an important part of international and national agendas.

Full Report 'Positioning Tourism in Economic Policy: Evidence and Some Proposals'