UNWTO and NEOM Launch ‘Tourism Experiences of the Future’ Challenge

• Middle East
• 10 Oct 2021

UNWTO and NEOM have partnered for a new initiative focused on the future of tourism in Saudi Arabia.

The ‘Tourism Experiences of the Future’ challenge will source innovative ideas and disruptive business models related to the tourism needs of the future, in line with growing demand for new experiences. All proposals must be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and should include the introduction or adaptation of digital and technological elements, as well as being focused at least one of the following areas:

• Optimizing and maximizing the potential of experiential tourism
• Harnessing the positive impact of new technology
• Alternative business models
• Innovative experiences

The competition is the first national initiative dedicated to identifying new companies that will lead the tourism sector’s transformation in Saudi Arabia. As well as established businesses, the competition also welcomes applications from Saudi Arabian start-ups and innovators with ideas capable of revolutionizing and inspiring tourists by presenting new ways and reasons to travel.

Applications are open until 2 November, with great interest expected, and participants must be Saudi citizens with legal capacity to enter into a contract. Successful projects will be selected based on various criteria, such as the degree of innovation, their viability and sustainability.

An Affiliate Member of UNWTO since 2019, NEOM is an accelerator of human progress and a vision of what a new future might look like. Located in northwest Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea, NEOM is ideally situated at the crossroads of the world, comprising a total area of 26,500 km². A special authority has been established to oversee NEOM, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Tourism Experiences of the Future

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Winners of UNWTO Students’ League Announced

• All Regions
• 30 Sep 2021

Students from around the world have been recognized for ideas to make tourism more responsible and sustainable. The 2021 Global UNWTO Students’ League Competition focused on addressing the issue of plastics pollution within the sector, as well as maximizing tourism’s contributions to rural development.

The competition attracted over 1,000 students. From these, 155 teams, representing 124 educational institutions in 45 different countries put forward their ideas. As well as being judged on how well their idea would contribute to a specific Sustainable Development Goal, the students were also assessed on the feasibility of their solutions and on their level of teamwork.

The eight winning solutions included works of art, calls to action, Instagram and other digital marketing campaigns, and potential strategies to help both destinations and tourism accommodation providers reduce plastic waste and consumption. Several of the ideas submitted to the competition have already been picked up and implemented by stakeholders across the tourism sector.

The UNWTO Students League is a unique chance for students from around the world to help lead this change

Youth empowerment for tourism’s future

The UNWTO Students League aims to empower and motivate tourism students by giving them real-time experience working in creating and implementing innovative and sustainable solutions for the challenges that the sector is facing.

At the final, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The tourism of tomorrow must be inclusive, sustainable and embrace local values. The UNWTO Students League is a unique chance for students from around the world to help lead this change.”

This initiative bridges the gap between students’ education and training and the realities of the sector. It also enables young people to enter the labour market as highly qualified and skilled professional.

Student Testimonials

“From the moment that I decided to join this competition, I came into the world of SDGs. It is incredible to me that tourism has an intersection with so many different topics, …a sector that is amazing not just because of what it is about but also because of the many things that make it up.

Vildan Soguktas, from Kinawa Middle School, Michigan, US”
(Rural – Middle School)

“…history has proven and will continue to prove that natural disasters or wars, including the pandemic, will never prevent people from travelling freely... As a team of teenagers who love travelling, we shall do our best for a better world!”

Xin Tong, Ma’anshan No. 7 Middle School, Anhui Province
(Rural Challenge, Middle School 11-13)

We learnt a lot about working together as a team to tackle plastics pollution. As travel and tourism students, it helped us comprehend the scope about this problem. Thank you for this incredible opportunity.

Team Thaajuddeen, Thaajuddeen School, Maldives (Plastics Challenge, High-School 14-18)

“Being able to find new ideas to develop a tourist offer and a positioning for Tabant was an incredible experience for us! Thanks to UNWTO for giving us this opportunity”.

Lucia Tucci & Salvatore Cavallaro, Team Off Beat - Master in Economia del Turismo, Bocconi University
(Rural CHallenge -Undergraudates)

The winners are as follows:

Sector-wide support

The UNWTO Students League was made possible thanks to the support and experience from partners the Cullinary Tourism Alliance, Digital Tourism Think Tank ,Eurecat, Exo Foundation, Google, Iberia, Instagram, International Trade Center, NH Hotels International, Rusticae, Tress4Humanity, Verne Tourism Experts, and the Ministry of Tourism of Morocco, as well the Plastics Initiative signatories: Bharhka Countryside Cottage Resorts, Chumbe Island Coral Park Zanzibar, Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative, Dark Sky Association, El Rio Foundation, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Fundación Banco Santander, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Guava Amenities, Hostelword Group, Indonesian Waste Platform, Positive Impact Forever, ProAmpac, Radisson Hotels, Sustainable First, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, University of Tasmania, and UNEP

Related links:

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Students’ League

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Digital tools to revitalize tourism

• All Regions
• 9 Jul 2021

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) continues to energize the restart of tourism based on sustainability and innovation. An agreement with MUST Travel & Tech places a digital tool at the service of tourism, allowing users to share their experiences to promote the reactivation of the sector with a view to sustainability. Presented during the UNWTO Mayors' Forum in Porto, Portugal, the tool is an opportunity for the advancement of smart cities, as well as destinations that incorporate technology and innovation in their development.

Already operating in 60 countries, MUST aggregates all the information of interest to travellers in one place. By also integrating key information and analysis from UNWTO, it aims to become a leading tourism application and generate opportunities for destinations.

Technology at the service of development

We welcome innovative ideas and technologies that allow the creation of global and regional innovation ecosystems aimed at accelerating the recovery of tourism for development

Visibility provided through technological tools is an opportunity for those who, along the entire value chain of the sector, require support to restart their activity, from new destinations around rural communities, to destinations with a high degree of infrastructure development.

“We welcome innovative ideas and technologies that allow the creation of global and regional innovation ecosystems aimed at accelerating the recovery of tourism for development,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili upon signing the agreement.

For his part, the CEO of MUST, Pablo López, highlighted that “technology enhances the productivity and resilience of companies. The implementation of digital solutions in line with new trends in the tourism sector allows us to develop a differentiated, personalized and safe tourism product that is more focused on behaviour patterns and the management of spaces that will undoubtedly contribute to the recovery of a key activity for the economy in general”.

Shared objectives

A distinctive element will be the contribution of tourism intelligence from the UNWTO to the users of the tool. In this way, relevant and verified content is combined with data for making informed and evidence-based decisions.

The agreement provides for cooperation in the execution of projects that include, among others:

• Supporting the digital transformation of tourism service providers.
• Fostering tourism development and promotion in a sustainable and inclusive way.
• Boosting innovation in the practices of reservation and consumption of tourism experiences and activities.
• Encouraging the creation of quality content with a focus on cultural heritage and the authenticity of the destination to be promoted.
• Promoting and disseminate the UNWTO “Best Tourism Villages” programme on the MUST platform as well as other programmes or events of the Organization.
• Promoting programmes related to innovation, education and investments that are useful for tourism destinations of mutual interest.

The agreement between UNWTO and MUST will be in place until the end of 2024.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Opens Call for ‘Best Tourism Villages’
• UNWTO Mayors Forum for Sustainable Urban Tourism
• Innovation, Education and Investments

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UNWTO ‘Jobs Factory’, Powered by Hosco, Launched to Kickstart Tourism Jobs Recovery

• All Regions
• 17 Jun 2021

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched the Jobs Factory, powered by Hosco, the global hospitality network. This innovative platform is designed to connect talent with employers across the sector, being the perfect solution for hospitality recruitment.

The Jobs Factory harnesses Hosco’s power of machine learning, algorithms, and deep learning to match candidates with suitable positions, both locally and internationally. Job-seekers are able to create a profile, search for positions that match their experience and skills, and set up job alerts to be informed of the latest opportunities. The platform also helps tourism businesses and organizations to find and recruit the best talent.

All of UNWTO’s 159 Member States will be invited to use the Jobs Factory as their national tourism recruitment platform as will its more than 500 Affiliate Members, ranging from businesses to universities and think tanks. Additionally, through the Jobs of the Future Observatory, Member States can also monitor current and future skills development to analyse trends. This will allow them to forecast and identify gaps and mismatches and make data-driven decisions.

The Jobs Factory will be a great help to the millions of people who depend on tourism. It connects employers with the very best talent our sector has to offer

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The pandemic has hit global tourism hard. Up to 120 million jobs are at risk. However, tourism has a long history of adapting and embracing innovation. The Jobs Factory will be a great help to the millions of people who depend on tourism. It connects employers with the very best talent our sector has to offer. And it will help our Member States make important decisions based on the latest, trusted data.”

Olivier Bracard, Hosco’s CEO, added: “Hospitality is all about people, and since March 2020, its workforce has been terribly affected, thus the industry as a whole. Hosco’s purpose of making hospitality an exciting journey for talent has never been so challenging yet so crucial, and we’re thrilled to be joining forces with UNWTO to expand the impact of our technology and expertise to its Member States. We’re confident that UNWTO’s Jobs Factory, powered by Hosco, will become a critical asset for governments, employers, and hospitality professionals as we embrace recovery.”

For more information please visit the UNWTO Jobs Factory.

About Hosco

Hosco is a professional network specially designed for the hospitality industry. It was born in 2011 with one clear vision: to empower the industry by uniting all of its professionals, educational centres, and employers in one global network to connect, find or provide job opportunities, access tailored content, and career advice. The platform currently connects 1.5+ million hospitality students and professionals and 400+ schools with 7,500+ world-class companies worldwide.

 

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Jobs Factory

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UNWTO and Google Launch Global Partnership to Lead Tourism Recovery

• All Regions
• 24 May 2021

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Google have signed a new agreement to work together and lead global tourism’s recovery through innovation, education, and market intelligence.

The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) builds on past cooperation between the UN specialized agency for tourism and Google. With destinations in some parts of the world looking to restart tourism, the new partnership will focus on harnessing the power of innovation, education, data and market intelligence to drive sustainable and inclusive recovery.

Notably, the two organizations will host trainings for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), using a new Capacity Building Curriculum developed by Google. These sessions will empower destinations to switch to digital, with the training adapted to reflect their specific circumstances and the unique challenges every destination currently faces.

Scaling up collaboration…

The new Capacity Building Curriculum will also complement existing joint initiatives, and a data sharing agreement for Google’s Travel Insights to power a portion of the UNWTO's tourism recovery tracker.

The strong partnership between UNWTO and Google will help put innovation and digital at the centre of tourism’s recovery

Alongside this, the Tourism Accelerator Program, designed by Google in partnership with UNWTO, will also be scaled up globally. A pilot program launched across EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) in 2020 showed the value of working with policymakers to put digital at the heart of their tourism recovery plans and the benefits of upskilling DMOs so they can make effective use of data and market intelligence.

…and diversifying

The partnership will go beyond empowering destinations and businesses during the immediate recovery phase. Under the agreement, Google will provide ongoing support for a number of UNWTO’s leading initiatives, including Startup Competitions designed to promote and support innovation across the sector.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The strong partnership between UNWTO and Google will help put innovation and digital at the centre of tourism’s recovery. By working together, UNWTO and Google will empower destinations, businesses and tourism workers to realize the power of data and market intelligence, both increasingly important as global tourism looks to restart and recover.”

We’re honored to be working alongside UNWTO in this vital effort to support the global tourism sector on its path toward broader economic recovery

Google’s Managing Director for Travel Partnerships Gianni Marostica says: “We’re honored to be working alongside UNWTO in this vital effort to support the global tourism sector on its path toward broader economic recovery. It’s critical that both policymakers and businesses have the tools and insights they need to reconnect with travelers in a digital environment.”

Looking ahead, UNWTO and Google will also collaborate on joint research projects related to tourism. The results will further establish both parties as thought leaders and provide governments, destinations and businesses with the trusted data and insights they need to guide tourism towards recovery.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO & Google Acceleration Programme
• Travel digitally with Google on World Tourism Day
• UNWTO Grow with Google Masterclass on Digital Marketing and Promotion In collaboration with Turismo de Portugal
• Guiding tourism's recovery

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Ideas to Build Back Better: SDGs Start-up Competition Final Held in Madrid

• All Regions
• 18 May 2021

Innovators with ideas to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals have been celebrated in Madrid. The final of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition saw 25 entrepreneurs and enterprises recognized for their creativity and commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 ambitious goals.

Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), with the support of over 25 partners from across the global innovation ecosystem, this competition is the biggest innovation initiative ever launched by any part of the wider United Nations system. In all, more than 10,000 applications from 138 different countries were received, each of them promising to advance one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Today’s winners can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity

Winners with common goal

“Today’s winners can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a message congratulating the finalists. Every global region was represented among the 25 winners at the final event in Madrid, held on the eve of the FITUR International Tourism Trade Fair.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili added that “the winners of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition can get us back on track to building a better, more sustainable future for both people and planet”.

The competition final highlighted the power of tourism to help reach the 2030 Agenda through driving progress in waste and resource management, green energy production, destination experiences and decarbonization, as well as through creating decent jobs for all, promoting inclusivity and gender equality and protecting ecosystems.

The winners of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition can get us back on track to building a better, more sustainable future for both people and planet

Political and corporate support

The event also highlighted the strong level of political support for UNWTO’s mission to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Joining Secretary-General Pololikashvili at Madrid’s Royal Theatre were the Ministers of Tourism of Sri Lanka and Panama, the Ambassador of Qatar to Spain, the Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida and Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés.

Against the backdrop of the final, UNWTO also supported Apolitical and Mastercard during a special panel event on Digital Country Partnerships, highlighting key actors rebuilding tourism through innovation. Special thanks were also given to sponsors and collaborators of the SDGs Global Startup Competition, including the main partner, Wakalua (the innovation hub of Globalia), partner airline Qatar Airways, and collaborators such as Telefonica, Amazon Web Services, Amadeus, amongst others – see the full list here.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
MESSAGE TO WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION SDG GLOBAL STARTUP COMPETITION

18 May 2021

We have less than 10 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
And we are in the midst of a global pandemic that is setting back progress.
To get back on track, we need to unleash the power of new ideas and embrace a sustainable transformation.
Tourism has a critical role to play, and I commend the United Nations World Tourism Organization for its leadership.
Its SDGs Global Startup Competition is promoting innovation and a better recovery.
The competition attracted more than 10,000 applicants from 138 countries, and the ideas are as diverse as the innovators themselves.
All these startups have the potential to be scaled up and drive a positive transformation in our societies.
They can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity.
I thank everyone who has taken part in the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition, and I look forward to seeing these bright ideas being put into action.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• A full list of the 25 winners

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Startup Competition Seeks Ideas to Accelerate Rural Development Through Tourism

• All Regions
• 6 Apr 2021

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched a new competition to identify the best ideas that will help rural communities recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Global Rural Tourism Startup Competition will also support the entrepreneurs and enterprises that can help rural communities seize the economic and social opportunities that will come as tourism restarts.

The United Nations specialized agency has recorded rising interest in unique and authentic travel experiences, including in nature-based and outdoors tourism. With this trend expected to accelerate as tourism restarts, the Startup Competition is looking for those ideas that will help ensure rural communities are best-placed to benefit. The competition will also look for ideas that will help build resilience in rural communities.

The Competition aims to support rural tourism as a key tool to fight depopulation, promote inclusion and reduce regional inequalities in income and development as part of UNWTO’s special focus on tourism for rural development.

Applications are now open for four categories:

• People –Leaving no one behind: Projects that incentivize the creation of jobs and opportunities, promote gender and youth empowerment, and build opportunities for vulnerable groups in rural areas.
• Planet – Building back better Projects related to the promotion and protection of natural resources, including addressing tourism’s impact on climate change, we as well as waste and resource consumption.
• Prosperity- opportunities for growth Startups that provide innovative solutions through new business models, instruments that promote access to finance, markets and marketing for tourism in rural areas.
• Propulsion of Rural Tech – Implementation of new technologies to advance tourism and development in rural areas.

The deadline for applications is 1 July 2021. Winners will be invited to take part in the UNWTO General Assembly, to be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, this October. 

The new competition builds on the success of UNWTO’s search for the best startups in Spain. That initiative saw more than 150 projects put forward for consideration, with the winners receiving mentorship and support from the Spanish Government and Google. For this global edition UNWTO welcomes Viajes National Geographic as its media partner. It also enjoys the support of key institutional collaborators, namely Air Europa and Wakalua as Travel Partners alongside Amazon Web Services Activate, HèPic, Impact Hub, the International Trade Centre, Fademur, The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain, NEST Portugal, Telefonica Open Future and the TUI Care Foundation.

For more information and to apply, visit the UNWTO Startup Competitions and Challenges webpage.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Global Rural Tourism Startup Competition
• UNWTO: Tourism Competitiveness

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UNWTO and Sommet Education “Hospitality Challenge” Searches for Future Tourism Leaders

• All Regions
• 17 Aug 2020

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Sommet Education are calling on career climbers and switchers, entrepreneurs and innovators to put themselves forward for the joint “Hospitality Challenge”. The initiative, which closes at the end of the month, will grant 30 scholarships for world class education programmes that will allow winners to develop themselves and their projects and so help drive tourism’s recovery.

Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought tourism to a standstill. Now, as the sector restarts, UNWTO is welcoming applications from individuals with ideas capable of accelerating recovery while promoting inclusivity and sustainability. With the competition closing on 30 August, the United Nations specialized agency has issued a final call for applications from both established tourism professionals and those new to the sector.  

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The tourism sector is a source of employment for many millions. Jobs in tourism provide opportunity, empowerment, and equality, including for women, youth and people living in rural communities. As we restart tourism, the time is right to rethink hospitality, and to identify and implement new ideas to make the sector more inclusive and sustainable. The UNWTO Hospitality Challenge will do just this.”

Sustainability and scalability key priorities

As we restart tourism, the time is right to rethink hospitality, and to identify and implement new ideas to make the sector more inclusive and sustainable

Selection criteria include the degree of disruptiveness, project maturity and potential for implementation, as well as viability, scalability, digitalization, sustainability, and the potential to attract the interest of investors. The competition will focus on four different categories:

• Luxury travels, good and service
• Hotels and hotel related operations: small to medium sized properties, family businesses
• Food and Beverage: restaurants, Catering, delivery services and retail
• Smart Real Estate: small to medium sized properties and family businesses

Benoit-Etienne Domenget, Chief Executive Officer at Sommet Education added: “Education is the foundation of a more hospitable world. Offering scholarships is a contribution to the recovery of the hospitality economy, by accelerating the personal development of talented people with creative views and to support their vision to revamp hospitality.”

The competition is open now and will close at the end of August. A Selection Committee made up of an international network of investors, entrepreneurs and experts from UNWTO Member, Affiliate Members and strategic allies, as well as from representatives of Sommet Education, will then choose 30 finalists.

The finalists will be eligible for full scholarships in 15 different programmes in Hospitality, Culinary and Pastry Arts Management, (Bachelors, Masters, MBAs) offered in the world-class academic institutions of Sommet Education: Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland and London, Les Roches Crans-Montana in Switzerland, Les Roches Marbella in Spain and École Ducasse in France. Among the 30 winners, the top three most innovative entrepreneurial projects will be granted funding to support their initial development from Eurazeo.

Related Links

• Download the news release
• UNWTO Hospitality Challenge website
• UNWTO: Innovation, Investments and Digital Transformation
• UNWTO Academy

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UNWTO Invites Startups to Pitch Ways to Accelerate SDGs

• All Regions
• 14 Jul 2020

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced the launch of a new Startup Competition as it looks to identify innovators with the power to further tourism’s contribution to sustainable development

As the United Nations specialized agency for tourism, UNWTO has been guiding the sector’s efforts to contribute to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including through the Tourism 4 SDGs online platform. Now, as the global community faces just 10 years to reach this ambitious agenda for people and planet, tourism’s unique ability to advance several of the SDGs is more relevant than ever.

This competition will rally all sectors around efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and place innovation and sustainability at the heart of global economic recovery

Against the backdrop of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, held under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), UNWTO has launched the SDGs Global Startup Competition. Organized in partnership with Wakalua, the innovation hub of leading tourism group Globalia, the competition has strong private sector backing, with the Advanced Leadership Foundation, Amadeus, Amazon Web Services Activate, BBVA, ClarkeModet, The Far Co, Globant, Google, IE University, Mastercard, Mentor Day, Plug and Play and Telefónica as lead promoters of innovation.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashviki said: “Tourism’s cross-cutting nature is unique. As a sector, it touches on almost every part of our economies and our societies. This competition will rally all sectors around efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and place innovation and sustainability at the heart of global economic recovery.”

The competition is not only open to innovators within the tourism sector. Startups of every kind, from all over the world, are invited to participate provided that they:

• Are innovative in nature and provide value-added solutions
• Are sustainability-driven
• Are scalable, with potential for international growth and potential to be applied in corporations and destinations (countries, regions)
• Are an Early Stage or Series A startup
• Have a tested pilot and business plan
• Have been accelerated before
• Have a full-time team already in place

The 17 most disruptive startups (1 for each of the SDGs) will be given support to scale-up and make a real difference to the future of destinations. UNWTO will present the best ideas to its Member States, Affiliate Members and investors, providing them with a unique networking and matchmaking opportunity. Additional benefits on offer include the chance to pitch at a special UNWTO Demo Day and access to technological support and to the UNWTO Innovation network, as well as a curated mentorship programme with both one-on-one and group training sessions on key topics such as Intellectual Property, sustainability in business and leadership.

Applications are now open and will close on 20 September 2020. The winning startups will be announced in November. To find out more and to apply, visit the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition webpage.

Related Links

• Download PDF
• UNWTO and Telefónica Partner to Help Destinations Use Data and AI to Drive Tourism’s Sustainable Recovery
• Tourism 4 SDGs Online Platform
• UNWTO: Innovation, Investment and Digital Transformation

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