6th Conference on Wine Tourism: Innovation, Partnerships and Technology

• All Regions
• 5 Oct 2022

The importance of partnerships and cooperation to build sustainability and community development was emphasized at the sixth edition of the UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism.

Held in the city of Alba, Piedmont, Italy, the conference brought together more than 300 leading public and private sector experts from 30 countries around the theme of "What next for wine tourism?”. The event was organized in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Tourism, the National Tourist Board – ENIT, the Piedmont Region and the Langhe Monferrato Roero Tourism Board.

Wine tourism for cultural preservation

Well-managed tourism is a powerful tool for rural development, innovation and the preservation of our culture and our nature. This Conference is part of our work to take the benefits of tourism and create new opportunities for rural areas

Welcoming delegates, UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili said. “Well-managed tourism is a powerful tool for rural development, innovation and the preservation of our culture and our nature. This Conference is part of our work to take the benefits of tourism and create new opportunities for rural areas. The past two years have brought major shifts in the world and in tourism. They have accelerated many challenges already in motion – from digital to sustainability. Wine tourism is no exception.”

Participants stressed the importance of expanding the links between wineries and wine-producing territories to promote innovative experiences that value local products and traditions, the landscape, heritage, gastronomy and people. The role of women and youth in the development of wine tourism was also highlighted. To this end, investment in wine tourism in rural areas should be encouraged, as this can motivate young people to become involved in the activity and preserve the knowledge and traditions of their region.  

Digital transformation gathers pace

The conference also debated the role of technology in enhancing wine tourism offering and attracting tourists and how these innovative tools can impact on the experience of the client who seeks fulfillment in their lifestyle and traveler experience. Benefitting from expert insights from Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, participants could deep dive into a road ahead created with a vision of community.

On this occasion, UNWTO and Slow Food signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate and formalize the intention of both organizations to work together in promoting gastronomic tourism as a tool for development and socioeconomic inclusion, especially in its links with rural development.

La Rioja in Spain will host the 2023 edition of the UNWTO World Conference on Wine Tourism.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• 6th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism
• Gastronomy and Wine Tourism
• Innovation, Sustainability and Creativity: UNWTO Global Wine Tourism Conference 2022

World Tourism Day 2022: Sector United Around “Rethinking Tourism” for People and Planet

• All Regions
• 27 Sep 2022

Positive transformation for both people and planet was the central message of World Tourism Day 2022. Held around the theme of ‘Rethinking Tourism’, the Global Day of Observation emphasized the sector’s unique potential to drive recovery and deliver positive change for people everywhere.

Hosted by the Republic of Indonesia, in the popular destination of Bali, the official celebrations brought together leaders from across the public and private sector, including the largest and most diverse number of Ministers of Tourism in the history of World Tourism Day. They were joined by tourism stakeholders around the world celebrating in their own countries, united around the timely theme of rethinking and transforming the sector.

Seizing the opportunity

Opening the celebrations, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed the unique opportunity presented to tourism to pause, reflect and recalibrate. He said: “The restart of tourism everywhere brings hope. It is the ultimate cross-cutting and people-to-people sector. It touches on almost everything we do – and everything we care about. Tourism’s potential is now recognized more widely than ever. It’s up to us to deliver on this potential.”

Tourism’s potential is now recognized more widely than ever. It’s up to us to deliver on this potential

Joining UNWTO in emphasizing the potential of tourism to deliver wide-reaching change, the Minister of Tourism for the Republic of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno, noted: “The most important assets in tourism are its people and the planet. We must ensure the best support for both.” In Bali, UNWTO commended Indonesia for going beyond words and taking concrete steps to transform tourism, notably by becoming the first country in the Asia and the Pacific region to sign up to the ambitious Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and its goals to reach Net-Zero emissions for the sector by 2050 at the latest.

Also adding his voice to the celebrations, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Tourism has the power to foster inclusion, protect nature & promote cultural understanding. We must rethink and reinvent the sector to ensure its sustainability.”

World Tourism Day Report Launched

To mark the day, UNWTO launched its first World Tourism Day Report, the first in an annual series of updates and analysis of the Organization’s work guiding the sector forward. The inaugural report is titled “Rethinking Tourism: From Crisis to Transformation”, reflecting the timely relevance of the 2022 theme as well as the unprecedented crisis that hit the sector in 2020.

The report charts UNWTO’s work uniting the sector in the face of crisis, leading tourism’s response and laying the foundations for a more inclusive and resilient future, with updates on work in every global region as well as in key areas including gender equality, sustainability and climate action, tourism governance and investments and innovation.

UNWTO Delivers Guidelines to G20

On the eve of World Tourism Day, UNWTO also presented the G20 Guidelines on Strengthening MSMEs and Communities as Agents of Transformation in Tourism on the occasion of the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting in Bali. The Guidelines provide guidance for key policies that can create resilient and sustainable MSMEs and communities around the pillars of human capital, innovation, youth and women empowerment, climate action, and policy, governance and investments. They also draw up over 40 cases studies from G20 members and guest countries focused on the promotion of MSMEs and communities.

Joining UNWTO in Bali for the World Tourism Day celebrations were Ministers of Tourism of Indonesia, as well as of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Republic of Korea, Fiji, Spain, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, alongside the Vice Ministers of Tourism for Cambodia and Japan and high-level representatives from Germany, Canada and the United States of America.  

 

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• World Tourism Day 2022: Rethinking Tourism
• Rethinking Tourism: From Crisis to Transformation
• G20 Bali Guidelines for Strengthening Communities and MSME as Tourism Transformation Agents: A People-centred Recovery
• G20 Bali Guidelines for Strengthening Communities and MSME as Tourism Transformation Agents: A People-centred Recovery – Case Studies

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UNWTO at G20: Putting People and MSMEs at Centre of Recovery

• All Regions
• 28 Sep 2022

UNWTO, the G20 Indonesian Presidency and the G20 Tourism Working Group have collaborated over the past year to deliver the G20 Guidelines on Strengthening MSMEs and Communities as Agents of Transformation in Tourism on the occasion of the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting in Bali.

The Guidelines provide guidance for key policies that can create resilient and sustainable MSMEs and communities spanning five key pillars:

1. Human Capital
2. Innovation, digitalization and the creative economy
3. Women and youth empowerment
4. Climate action, biodiversity conservation, and circularity, and
5. Policy, governance and investment

They also draw up over 40 cases studies from G20 members and guest countries focused on the promotion of MSMEs and communities

MSMEs and communities, the backbone of our sector, need strong support to be agents a people centred transformation

Accelerating positive action

Addressing the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Our sector has now recovered almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels. However, we are falling behind in our efforts to reach the climate action goals of the Paris Agreement. We are also behind in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. “

“Tourism can help us get back on track. But we need to speed up. And we need to scale up. MSMEs and communities, the backbone of our sector, need strong support to be agents a people centred transformation” he added.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno said “I am truly delighted that the G20 Tourism Working Group is able to adopt the G20 Bali Guidelines. The Guidelines embody a number of policy best practices in the five main lines of actions. These lines of actions are essential to put the holistic wellbeing of our people at the heart of tourism recovery. We do not wish for tourism to just simply rebound, we need it to be better in serving the needs of our communities by creating good jobs, empowering the marginalized and safeguarding our planet, which our guidelines aim for.”

“I earnestly applaud UNWTO as the key institutional partner of our G20 presidency for steadfastly working together with us to continuously improve the Guidelines,” the Minister added.

Skills, inclusion, sustainability and governance

The Guidelines focus among others on:

• developing targeted policies based on social dialogue and multi-stakeholder collaboration to promote vocational education and training, skills development, and lifelong learning of the tourism workforce by engaging industry and technology partners;
• stimulating entrepreneurship including through tourism business incubation and promoting the creation of decent jobs in tourism;
• strengthening linkages between the tourism sector and local communities by encouraging partnership with local suppliers;
• bridging the innovation gap and promoting responsible innovation;
• developing guidance for MSMEs to enable them to tap into digitalization, improve their products and boost their productivity through the creative economy;
• ensuring equality and non-discrimination, with particular attention to young people in vulnerable situations, promoting the application of gender-equality and equal opportunity principles for all youth in tourism including equal remuneration for work of equal value, equal participation and equal treatment;
• implementing, within respective national policy, more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices; and
• Improving tourism data, including the use of big data, the implementation of international statistical standards and the development of adequate methodology for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism as evidence-based policy-making as well as facilitating data sharing including through public-private partnerships.

Research developed for the guidelines by UNWTO with G20 countries highlights the need to address challenges for MSMEs of lack of access to finance, lack of access to market intelligence, market uncertainty, the volatility of the workforce, changing consumer trends and needs and low levels of innovation.

For communities, the most relevant challenges include the uncertainty of the market and changing consumer trends, leakages (revenue generated by tourism in the community which does not stay in the community), lack of education and skills, lack of adequate infrastructure and governance and excessive dependence on tourism.

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• G20 Bali Guidelines for Strengthening Communities and MSME as Tourism Transformation Agents: A People-centred Recovery
• G20 Bali Guidelines for Strengthening Communities and MSME as Tourism Transformation Agents: A People-centred Recovery – Case Studies
• World Tourism Day 2022: Rethinking Tourism

International Tourism Back to 60% of Pre-Pandemic Levels in January-July 2022

• All Regions
• 26 Sep 2022

International tourism continued to show strong signs of recovery, with arrivals reaching 57% of pre-pandemic levels in the first seven months of 2022.

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals almost tripled in January to July 2022 (+172%) compared to the same period of 2021. This means the sector recovered almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels. The steady recovery reflects strong pent-up demand for international travel as well as the easing or lifting of travel restrictions to date (86 countries had no COVID-19 related restrictions as of 19 September 2022).

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Tourism continues to recover steadily, yet several challenges remain, from geopolitical to economic. The sector is bringing back hope and opportunity for people everywhere. Now is also the time to rethink tourism, where it is going and how it impacts people and planet.”

Now is also the time to rethink tourism, where it is going and how it impacts people and planet

An estimated 474 million tourists travelled internationally over the period, compared to the 175 million in the same months of 2021. An estimated 207 million international arrivals were recorded in June and July 2022 combined, over twice the numbers seen in the same two months last year. These months represent 44% of the total arrivals recorded in the first seven months of 2022. Europe welcomed 309 million of these arrivals, accounting for 65% of the total. 

International Tourist Arrivals

Europe and the Middle East Lead Recovery

Europe and the Middle East showed the fastest recovery in January-July 2022, with arrivals reaching 74% and 76% of 2019 levels respectively. Europe welcomed almost three times as many international arrivals as in the first seven months of 2021 (+190%), with results boosted by strong intra-regional demand and travel from the United States. The region saw particularly robust performance in June (-21% over 2019) and July (-16%), reflecting a busy summer period. Arrivals climbed to about 85% of 2019 levels in July. The lifting of travel restrictions in a large number of destinations also fuelled these results (44 countries in Europe had no COVID-19 related restrictions as of 19 September 2022).

The Middle East saw international arrivals grow almost four times year-on-year in January-July 2022 (+287%). Arrivals exceeded pre-pandemic levels in July (+3%), boosted by the extraordinary results posted by Saudi Arabia (+121%) following the Hajj pilgrimage. 

The Americas (+103%) and Africa (+171%) also recorded strong growth in January-July 2022 compared to 2021, reaching 65% and 60% of 2019 levels respectively. Asia and the Pacific (+165%) saw arrivals more than double in the first seven months of 2022, though they remained 86% below 2019 levels, as some borders remained closed to non-essential travel.

Subregions and destinations

Several subregions reached 70% to 85% of their pre-pandemic arrivals in January-July 2022. Southern Mediterranean Europe (-15% over 2019), the Caribbean (-18%) and Central America (-20%) showed the fastest recovery towards 2019 levels. Western Europe (-26%) and Northern Europe (-27%) also posted strong results. In July arrivals came close to pre-pandemic levels in the Caribbean (-5%), Southern and Mediterranean Europe (-6%) and Central America (-8%).

Among destinations reporting data on international arrivals in the first five to seven months of 2022, those exceeding pre-pandemic levels were: the US Virgin Islands (+32% over 2019), Albania (+19%), Saint Maarten (+15%), Ethiopia and Honduras (both +13%), Andorra (+10%), Puerto Rico (+7%), United Arab Emirates and Dominican Republic (both +3%), San Marino and El Salvador (both +1%) and Curaçao (0%).

Among destinations reporting data on international tourism receipts in the first five to seven months of 2022, Serbia (+73%), Sudan (+64%), Romania (+43%), Albania (+32%), North Macedonia (+24%), Pakistan (+18%), Türkiye, Bangladesh and Latvia (all +12%), Mexico and Portugal (both +8%), Kenya (+5%) and Colombia (+2%) all exceeded pre-pandemic levels in January-July 2022.

Tourism spending rises but challenges grow

The ongoing recovery can also be seen in outbound tourism spending from major source markets. Expenditure from France climbed to -12% in January-July 2022 compared to 2019 while spending from Germany rose to -14%. International tourism spending stood at -23% in Italy and -26% in the United States.

Robust performance was also recorded in international passenger air traffic, with a 234% increase in January-July 2022 (45% below 2019 levels) and a recovery of some 70% of pre-pandemic traffic levels in July, according to IATA.

Stronger-than-expected demand has also created important operational and workforce challenges in tourism companies and infrastructure, particularly airports. Additionally, the economic situation, exacerbated by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, represents a major downside risk. The combination of increasing interest rates in all major economies, rising energy and food prices and the growing prospects of a global recession as indicated by the World Bank, are major threats to the recovery of international tourism through the remainder of 2022 and 2023. The potential slowdown can be seen in the latest UNWTO Confidence Index, which reflects a more cautious outlook, as well as in booking trends which are showings signs of slower growth.

Tourism Experts Cautiously Confident

On a scale of 0 to 200, the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts rated the period May-August 2022 with a score of 125, matching the bullish expectations expressed by the Panel in the May survey for the same 4-month period (124).

Prospects for the remainder of the year are cautiously optimistic. Although above-average performance is expected, tourism experts rated the period September-December 2022 with a score of 111, below the 125 score of the previous four months, showing a downgrade in confidence levels. Almost half of experts (47%) see positive prospects for the period September-December 2022, while 24% expect no particular change and 28% consider it could be worse.  Experts also seem confident about 2023, as 65% see better tourism performance than in 2022.

The uncertain economic environment seems to have nonetheless reversed prospects for a return to pre-pandemic levels in the near term. Some 61% of experts now see a potential return of international arrivals to 2019 levels in 2024 or later while those indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 has diminished (27%) compared to the May survey (48%). According to experts, the economic environment continues to be the main factor weighing on the recovery of international tourism. Rising inflation and the spike in oil prices results in higher transport and accommodation costs, while putting consumer purchasing power and savings under pressure.

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• World Tourism Barometer (PPT version)
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer | Volume 20 • Issue 5 • September 2022 | EXCERPT
• Impact of the Russian offensive in Ukraine on international tourism
• UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard
• World Tourism Day 2022: Rethinking Tourism

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Málaga Joins UNWTO’s International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories

• All Regions
• 23 Sep 2022

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has welcomed the Málaga Sustainable Tourism Observatory into its International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO).

Málaga is the main coastal city in Andalusia with tourism as one of the most important pillars of its economy. Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, the city welcomed a total of 1.4 million overnight visitors, making it the fourth most visited destination in Spain. To strengthen the city’s ability to guide the sector towards greater sustainability, the creation of a Sustainable Tourism Observatory was agreed and linked to the tourism strategy of Malaga for 2021-24. The observatory will provide regular data and timely analysis across economic, environmental and social areas for evidence-based decision making and to ensure that tourism in Málaga is developing in a sustainable and responsible manner.

We warmly welcome the Sustainable Tourism Observatory of Málaga into our global network

Commenting, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “We warmly welcome the Sustainable Tourism Observatory of Málaga into our global network. The Observatory’s work will generate relevant evidence of the impacts that tourism has on the destination. This will facilitate the decision-making process, which leading tourism destinations around the world are using to ensure the transformation into sustainable and resilient destinations.”

Francisco de la Torre, Mayor of Malaga: "It is an honor for the city to be part of the UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories and contribute to this strong commitment to sustainability in the sector. The transformation experienced in Malaga has been based on the pillars of a Smart Tourism Destination, so sustainability is and remains one of the main values to make the city an attractive destination and adapted to the new trends that a responsible tourism practice requires".

The Málaga Tourism Observatory is hosted by the Tourism Department of the Málaga City Council and will be supported by other departments within the City Council as well as an expert committee. This is the fifth Sustainable Tourism Observatory in Spain, following the Barcelona, Canary Islands, Mallorca and Navarre into INSTO..

About INSTO

The UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) was created in 2004 with the main objectives to support the continuous improvement of sustainability and resilience in the tourism sector through systematic, timely and regular monitoring of tourism performance and to connect dedicated destinations, helping them to exchange and improve knowledge and understanding about destination-wide resource use and the responsible management of tourism.

Related Links:

• UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories
• UNWTO INSTO
• INSTO | Tools and Resources (unwto.org)
• Visit Málaga
• Download the press release in PDF

UNWTO Supports the Promotion of Tourism in Tenerife

• All Regions
• 21 Sep 2022

UNWTO has welcomed a delegation from Turismo de Tenerife (SPET) to draft a roadmap for future collaborations.

One of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is one of Europe’s most popular destinations, welcoming 2.7 million tourists in 2021 alone. The destination has significant touristic potential, and it is aiming to develop its sector in line with the values and priorities of UNWTO.

The official visit of Affiliate Member SPET to the UNWTO headquarters provided an opportunity to clarify the benefits of resources already available to the Affiliate Members, network and discuss institutional cooperation in the preparation of events.

Tenerife is one of Europe’s most popular destinations, welcoming 2.7 million tourists in 2021 alone

Among the topics discussed, Turismo de Tenerife presented its plans for “Global Summit Turismo” scheduled for 2024, while UNWTO presented the initiative “Best Tourism Villages” recognizing outstanding examples of rural tourism destinations with recognized cultural and natural assets, preserving and promoting community-based values, products and lifestyle in order to encourage the participation of Tenerife.

Tenerife offers a wide variety of attractions ranging from sports tourism, including hiking, climbing, biking routes and surfing, to astrotourism and gastrotourism.

About SPET - TURISMO DE TENERIFE

SPET - TURISMO DE TENERIFE dedicates its main activity to the realization of actions for the promotion of tourism on the island of Tenerife. Thus, it works in three areas within the island, which pursue the increase of our quality, competitiveness, and sustainability as a tourist destination. We coordinate improvement works with other entities and institutions, we dynamize areas of strategic interest that have reached periods of maturity, and we work in the creation and dynamization of tourist products in accordance with our potential and with the demand of our clients.

https://www.webtenerife.com/

Related links:

• UNWTO Affiliate Members
• Download the Press Release in PDF