UNWTO Innovation Services
2020: A Year in Review

UNWTO Innovation Services |  | 2020: A Year in Review

A glance at Innovation at UNWTO

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) believes that innovation is the key to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. To drive the digitalization of tourism, create an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem that will maximize the potential of the sector in terms of economic growth, job creation and sustainable development, and to anticipate, address and overcome the new challenges and trends of the tourism sector, in 2018 UNWTO developed a framework for Innovation, Education, Digital Transformation and Investments.

In the three years since their launch, the UNWTO Innovation Competitions and Challenges, have attracted talent from every global region. Such wide reach is reflected in the results of the last the seven competitions and six specific challenges which received over 7,750 applications from more than 150 countries. These projects have a proven potential to scale up and incorporate new technologies such as block-chain, artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and augmented/virtual reality. The Challenges and Competitions are multi-thematic and can be tailored to the prevailing needs and demands of the tourism sector at any given time.

UNWTO Healing Solutions for Tourism Challenge

2020 in review

This year has presented unprecedented challenges to the sector but has also promoted innovation. Entrepreneurs have provided ground-breaking ideas and solutions to reboot the sector, specially aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19. This year’s top winning and shortlisted Startups came from all regions of the world, especially Europe and the Americas. Among the participants, 27,8% were women-leading startups, and 41% of this year’s winners were female entrepreneurs.

2020 MILESTONES

Total

+ 

Total

Growth 2019 - 2020

  %

of Growth 2019 - 2020

Academy

 

Academia

Startups

 

Media

Startups

+  

Startups

Government

 

Government

Investors

 

Investors

United Nations

 

United Nations

Incubators / Accelerators

 

Incubators / Accelerators

Corporations

 

Corporations

Among the solutions presented, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cloud were the preferred technologies mainly for delivering solutions related to Online Travel Agencies and Hotels & Hospitality Management. Even with the challenges of 2020, our Startups managed to source 37.122.932 USD in funding this year alone and 74.890.240 USD since the creation of the Department- ‘Angel’ and Venture Capitalists’ were identified as the main investors. Further information will be released soon in the Travel Tech Startups Ecosystem and Investment Landscape Report.

At the end of our second year of operation, UNWTO has directly supported more than 1,000 entrepreneurs around the world with numerous projects set to scale up in 2021 and beyond. These projects have the potential to restart tourism and benefit communities as well as contribute to the SDGs. Our gratitude goes to all the governments and public entities, academia, corporations, investors, Startups & MSMEs and supporting business partners who made these results possible during this unprecedented year. The 2021 UNWTO Innovation Agenda shall be full of more Challenges and Competitions to keep on encouraging the adoption of disruptive technologies and so offer more seamless and sustainable tourism, enhance capacity building and the chance to build back better, as well as the opportunity for the Startups to connect, partner, and scale-up.

List of 2020 Challenges and Competitions

Jun


JANUARY

2nd UNWTO Global Gastronomy Tourism Startup Competition set out to identify challenges and projects, and catalyzing innovations that can transform the Gastronomy Tourism sector in the near future. Partners: Basque Culinary Center (BCC). Participants: Over 300 applications from 150 countries. Winners: FoodieOn (the Republic of Korea) and Jiranis Food (Kenya)

Jun


FEBRUARY

UNWTO Rural Tourism Competition (Spain) set out to promote solutions to rural Spain's challenges, strengthen the role of tourism in addressing local problems with an emphasis on greater employment and entrepreneurship opportunities based on sustainability. Partners: Google, Ministerio de Industria Energía y Turismo de España y FADEMUR. Participants: Over 136 applications from 18/19 Spain’s Autonomous Communities. Winners: My Street Book and Vanwoow (Spain)

Jun


APRIL

UNWTO Healing Solutions for Tourism Challenge  A global call to reach the most disruptive startups, entrepreneurs and drive solutions to mitigate COVID-19’s impacts on tourism. Partners: WHO. Participants: Over 1,000 applications from 100 countries. Winners: HandInScan/ Chameleon (Canada/USA), OUTPOST Healthcare (Canada), SeeTrue AI (Israel), Checkpoint (Spain) MyStay (Czech Republic), WAAM MACHINES (Poland), iBonus Limited (Hong Kong), Beautiful Destinations, Inc. and Airside (USA)

#EUvsVirus Hackathon  – UNWTO played a central role within the framework of the pan-European Hackathon led by the European Commission, the European Innovation Council and in close collaboration with the EU member states to connect civil society, innovators, partners and investors across Europe in order to develop innovative solutions for coronavirus-related challenges.  UNWTO Independently organized, selected and coordinated a 100+ person team with 7,000 participants to lead and coordinate the Education Pilar of the hackathon. Overall, over 20,900 people from across the EU and beyond took part, with 2,150 solutions submitted, 279 of which were selected in the field of education.

Jun


MAY

Hospitality Challenge: Supporting the Hospitality Talents of Tomorrow set out to identify ideas and individuals capable of accelerating the recovery of the tourism sector in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Partners: Sommet Education. Participants: over 1,000 applications from over 95 countries. The top 30 applicants will receive full-board scholarships to world class education programmes Winners: 15 made it to the final and 4 were picked as winners of the categories of Healing for People and Healing for Destinations. (See true(Israel, smart occupancy (Spain), MyStay (Czech Republic), WAAM (Poland)

Beyond Tourism Innovation Challenge set out to identify new digital skills for the recovery phase post-COVID, and environmental sustainability. Partners: Over 214 applications from 28 countries. Participants: Over 214 applications from 28 countries. Winners: Better Batteries (Barbados), Belizing Tourism Innovation Lab (Belize), INTO (Costa Rica), Green Fins Hub (Dominican Republic), Safe Lodges Equal Safe Guests (Guyana), Caribbean Tourism Career Accelerator (Haiti), Digital Transformation of Indigenous (Panama) and Nariva Swamp (Trinidad and Tobago)

Jun


JUNE

UNWTO Inspiration Africa Branding Challenge set out to identify a campaign that positions Africa as a destination in the minds of travellers supporting the efforts of individual countries and companies, making tourism a driver of development in the continent. Partners: CNN Participants: Over 150 applications from 48 countries. Winner: UBUNTU: Africa invites you to live-Atrevia (Spain)

Desafio Brasileiro de Inovação em Turismo  set out to boost innovation in the Brazilian tourism sector, by improving the competitiveness of the sector throughout the country by digitally transforming public and private organizations. Partners: Ministério do Turismo Brasil and Wakalua. Participants: Over 700 applications participants. Winners: WorldPackers (Brazil)

Jun


JULY

UNWTO Sustainable Development Goals Global Startup Competition set out to support long-term recovery through the achievement of the SDGs. Partners: Google, Mastercard, Plug and Play, Amadeus, Telefónica and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) Participants: Over 10.000 participants from 138 countries. The 60 finalists from 28 countries were already announced. Winners:  Not yet announced

Jun


AUGUST

UNWTO Smart Solutions for Smart Destinations Challenge set out to identify innovative, intelligent solutions that maximize the visitor’s experience of stadiums or events. Partners: Athletic Club of Bilbao and Deputy for Economic Promotion, Regional Government of Bizkaia. Participants: Over 99 applications from 37 countries. Winners: NECSUM Trisom (Spain) and Orwell Virtual Reality (Italy)

Jun


NOVEMBER

2ND edition of the Travel Tech for Good Accelerator initiative. In its second edition, this accelerator sourced top social impact startups from East Africa offering coaching for entrepreneurs, during which local and international mentors help them innovate their business models, research potential investors and clients, and bring their business pitches to the next level. Partners: Tui Care Foundation and Enpact  Selected participants: Tripxio (Uganda), SINA Village (Uganda), Mauritius Conscious (Mauritius), 54HOMES (Uganda)

Voices from 2020:

Sustainable Development Goals Global Startup Competition
Tourism Products

Product Development

As defined by UN Tourism, a Tourism Product is "a combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as natural, cultural and man-made resources, attractions, facilities, services and activities around a specific center of interest which represents the core of the destination marketing mix and creates an overall visitor experience including emotional aspects for the potential customers. A tourism product is priced and sold through distribution channels and it has a life-cycle".

Rural tourism

Rural tourism

UN Tourism understands Rural Tourism as "a type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle / culture, angling and sightseeing.

Rural tourism

Gastronomy and Wine Tourism

Gastronomy and Wine Tourism

As global tourism is on the rise and competition between destinations increases, unique local and regional intangible cultural heritage become increasingly the discerning factor for the attraction of tourists.

Gastronomy and Wine Tourism

Mountain Tourism

Mountain Tourism

Mountain Tourism is a type of "tourism activity which takes place in a defined and limited geographical space such as hills or mountains with distinctive characteristics and attributes that are inherent to a specific landscape, topography, climate, biodiversity (flora and fauna) and local community. It encompasses a broad range of outdoor leisure and sports activities".

Mountain Tourism

Urban Tourism

Urban Tourism

According to UN Tourism, Urban Tourism is "a type of tourism activity which takes place in an urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agricultural based economy such as administration, manufacturing, trade and services and by being nodal points of transport. Urban/city destinations offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business".

Urban Tourism

Sports Tourism

Sports Tourism

Tourism and sports are interrelated and complementary. Sports – as a professional, amateur or leisure activity – involves a considerable amount of traveling to play and compete in different destinations and countries. Major sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, football and rugby championships have become powerful tourism attractions in themselves – making a very positive contribution to the tourism image of the host destination.

Sports Tourism

Shopping Tourism

Shopping Tourism

Shopping Tourism is becoming an increasingly relevant component of the tourism value chain. Shopping has converted into a determinant factor affecting destination choice, an important component of the overall travel experience and, in some cases the prime travel motivation.

Shopping Tourism
Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility

Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility

The Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), a specialised agency of the United Nations, is tasked with the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

UN Tourism is guided by the belief that tourism can make a meaningful contribution to people’s lives and our planet. This conviction is at the very heart of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, a roadmap for tourism development towards a more ethical approach. 

Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

Accessible Tourism

Accessible Tourism

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 16% of the world’s population (1.3 billion people) is estimated to live with some form of disability. UN Tourism is convinced that accessibility for all to tourist facilities, products, and services should be a central part of any responsible and sustainable tourist policy.

Accessible Tourism

Tourism and Culture

Tourism and Culture

Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.

Tourism and Culture

Women’s Empowerment and Tourism

Women’s Empowerment and Tourism

Tourism has the potential to contribute to greater gender equality and the empowerment of women, in line with  Sustainable Development Goal 5. The majority of people employed in tourism worldwide are women, both in formal and informal jobs. Tourism offers women opportunities for income-generation and entrepreneurship. However, women are concentrated in the lowest paid, lowest skilled sectors of the industry and carry out a large amount of unpaid work in family tourism businesses.

Women’s Empowerment and Tourism