ON THE GROUND: Fostering Tourism for Development

• All Regions
• 13 Oct 23
• N PAG. 20

Dear Member States and Partners,

As I take on the role of Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Director at UNWTO, I am both honoured and excited to address you for the first time through this newsletter, particularly as we convene for the 25th UNWTO General Assembly. The timing could not be more fitting as we reflect on our journey and set the course for the future.

Beyond COVID-19: A New Phase of Resilience and Innovation
The resilience of the tourism sector has been evident, with 2022 witnessing a stronger-than-expected recovery. As we look to 2023, our focus has shifted from immediate recovery to sustainable growth and development. Projects that were on hold, such as tourism plans in selected Chinese provinces, have been reactivated.

Milestones and Future Directions
By mid-2023, we successfully concluded the majority of our COVID-19 recovery projects. These initiatives have been instrumental in mitigating the pandemic’s impact and have set the stage for accelerated recovery. The expertise gained will continue to enrich our technical assistance to Member States.

A New Strategic Vision
In alignment with emerging trends and needs, we are in the process of developing a new strategy to better promote our work, establish increasing partnerships, and deliver new products and approaches. This strategy will leverage our solid expertise and extensive outreach to explore new areas of collaboration.

Expanding our Reach
Since 2022, we are overseeing 50 technical projects that benefit 32 countries. These are partly funded by beneficiary countries and through contributions from our esteemed partners, including the World Bank, UNDP, AfDB, ADB, EBRD, EIF, and JICA. New collaborations are also in the pipeline, broadening our scope and impact.

Inside this Issue
This newsletter provides insights into our diverse project portfolio, from initiatives focused on immediate pandemic recovery to those aimed at comprehensive tourism planning and development.

As we embark on this new chapter, your continued support and collaboration are invaluable. Together, we will build a tourism sector that is not only diverse, sustainable and competitive, but also resilient and forward-looking.

Thank you.
Jaime I. MAYAKI

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