New Guidelines Put Women’s Empowerment at Heart of Tourism’s Restart

• All Regions
• 1 Mar 2022

A new set of guidelines will help both governments and businesses better address the needs of women in the tourism sector.

The guidelines published by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) were developed with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development (BMZ), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and UN Women. They aim to ensure an inclusive and resilient recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. They recognize that, given the disproportionate loss of employment suffered by women, as well as the high proportion of women workers within tourism and their concentration in lower-skilled and lower-paid jobs, plans for the sector’s restart and recovery must address their specific needs.

Tourism has proven itself a true champion of gender equality and these new guidelines will help both governments and businesses harness the sector’s power as a driver of women’s empowerment as the world opens up again

Tourism as a driver of equality

UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The restart of tourism must include everyone and the benefits must be enjoyed by all. Tourism has proven itself a true champion of gender equality and these new guidelines will help both governments and businesses harness the sector’s power as a driver of women’s empowerment as the world opens up again”.

The guidelines for the public sector provide specific tools to support national, regional, local and other tourism institutions, focusing on policies, programmes and thematic issues in the tourism sector. Meanwhile, the strategy for businesses is intended to support tourism enterprises of all types and sizes to achieve effective and consistent strategies and programmes for gender equality across their operations.

Tourism steps up commitment to women

The recently published gender mainstreaming guidelines continue UNWTO’s work on women’s empowerment and are in line with a growing trend within tourism to address gender inequalities. The guidelines stand alongside a growing number of similar initiatives such as the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP’s) or the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting scheme.

Moreover, these guidelines provide concrete recommendations for governments working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly Goal 5 – Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment) and the objectives of international women’s rights treaties such as ILO Conventions 100, 111, 156, 183 and 190 or the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Launch Webinar

UNWTO invites all interested stakeholders to join a special webinar (March 16, 15:00 CET), presenting both guidelines with key speakers from the sector. The event will explain what exactly gender mainstreaming is and why it is important in tourism, particularly for the public and private sectors. The webinar will be streamed live the UNWTO YouTube channel.

Links to Guidelines

• Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines for the Public Sector in Tourism
• Gender Inclusive Strategy for Tourism Businesses

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Center Stage
• Action Plan for Tourism Businesses to Integrate Gender Equality
• UNWTO: Women’s Empowerment and Tourism
• Global Report on Women in Tourism, Second Edition

UNWTO in Geneva: Against Restrictions and For Peace and Tourism for All

• All Regions
• 25 Feb 2022

UNWTO has concluded a week of meetings in Geneva, securing strong backing for its call to ease travel and enhancing strategic partnerships to define the future of tourism. UNWTO also emphasized that diplomacy is the only option to man-made problems and amplified tourism’s voice for peace and international solidarity.

UNWTO strongly condemns unilateral and unjustified acts of aggression and stands by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his call for diplomacy to win out. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “At a time where diplomacy has been abandoned, the values of tourism, a pillar of peace and solidarity, are more vital than ever.”

UNWTO, WHO and the new trust architecture

At a time where diplomacy has been abandoned, the values of tourism, a pillar of peace and solidarity, are more vital than ever

At the start of the week, UNWTO was welcomed to the headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) by its Director-General Dr. Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Together, the leaders of the two UN agencies agreed on the importance of lifting or easing travel restrictions wherever possible, citing their ineffectiveness and the economic and social cost of closing borders to tourists.

Mr Pololikashvili stressed that “UNWTO is proud to work with WHO to restart tourism safely and responsibly for the benefit of many across the world.” UNWTO and WHO agree on the need for a new “trust architecture” to restore confidence in travel and kickstart the sector’s recovery.

Aviation and tourism education

Talks between Secretary-General Pololikashvili and the Director-General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Willie Walsh also focused on the collaboration towards the safe return of travel, highlighting the need for common rules and restoring trust.

The official visit to Switzerland was an opportunity to advance several of UNWTO’s strategic priorities, among them tourism jobs and education. The Secretary-General and his team were welcomed to the Gilon Institute of Higher Education and the Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM) by its Dean Ulrika Björklund and to the new UNWTO International Centre Switzerland at the Bella Vista Higher Education Campus in Altdorf. To advance plans to empower a new generation of tourism leaders, UNWTO met with the Swiss Education Group CEO Yong Shen and with Benoit-Etienne Domenget, CEO of Sommet Education, UNWTO’s partner for online learning.

Sports tourism and tourism and rural development

In Nyon, an official visit to the headquarters of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) saw Secretary-General Pololikashvili enhance the ties between two of the world’s biggest and most cross-cutting sectors. Alongside UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, the two organizations agreed to work together to promote and grow sports tourism, and build a joint legacy through empowering youth, starting at the UNWTO Global Youth Tourism Summit in August.

The Secretary- General visited Gruyères, named one of the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO at the 24th General Assembly, where he commended the commitment to harnessing tourism to promote and protect its cultural and gastronomic heritage and support jobs and local businesses. Alongside the visit – a first to one of the Best Tourism Villages – the UNWTO delegation also met with Eric Jakob, Ambassador of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), whose brief includes tourism policy, as well as with Martin Nydegger, CEO of Switzerland Tourism. The meetings offered the UNWTO leadership a chance to welcome Switzerland’s recent decision to lift almost all restrictions on incoming tourists, setting an example for other countries to follow.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Tourism Raises its voice for Peace
• UNWTO Returns to Geneva as World Begins to Open Up
• UNWTO and UEFA Partner Around Shared Values of Sport and Tourism
• UNWTO and WHO: Travel Measures Should be Based on Risk Assessment

UNWTO and WHO: Travel Measures Should be Based on Risk Assessment

• All Regions
• 24 Feb 2022

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called for the lifting of travel bans as they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to economic and social stress. The two UN agencies agreed to collaborate on a global trust architecture for recovery of the travel sector.

Over recent days, a growing number of countries around the world have started easing their rules for international arrivals, including the easing of travel bans. These decisions are in line with WHO’s latest recommendations for safe international mobility, which highlight the ineffectiveness of blanket restrictions in controlling virus transmissions. Such a trend is also consistent with UNWTO’s repeated warnings of the great social, economic and development harm of restrictions.

Guided by UNWTO, global tourism has followed WHO advice from the very start of this crisis

UNWTO and WHO: a shared approach

In Geneva, the leaders of UNWTO and WHO agreed on the importance of easing or lifting travel bans. Blanket restrictions should be replaced with risk -based, evidence- informed, context-specific policies.

“Guided by UNWTO, global tourism has followed WHO advice from the very start of this crisis,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili. He underscored the need to “continue to do so, and to open up again, safely and responsibly, and allow tourism to deliver on its unique potential as a driver of recovery and growth”.

Risk and evidence-driven approach

According to the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee on COVID-19, all measures applied to international travellers should be based on “risk assessments - including testing, isolation and vaccinations”. Furthermore, the financial burden of such measures should not be placed on travellers themselves.

“As countries ease travel restrictions, health must remain the key priority. By basing their decisions on evidence and a risk-based approach adapted to their specific context, countries can find the right balance between keeping people safe, protecting livelihoods and the economy, and keeping borders open”, said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Building a global trust architecture

The two UN agencies also stressed the need for clear and consistent rules relating to health and travel. There is a need for building a global trust architecture for societies and economies in the context of the pandemic, and there is a “real opportunity for tourism to contribute to that process, with UNWTO playing a critical role”, said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme.

Properly managed, tourism has the potential to act as a force for development and opportunity, as highlighted in the sector’s enhanced relevance in the wider United Nations development agenda. Destinations around the world report increased tourist arrival numbers on the back of easing or removing restrictions. This trend offers the potential to kickstart economic recovery and put social development progress back on track.

Among the countries to have revised their travel restrictions is Switzerland, one of Europe’s leading destinations, which welcomed the UNWTO delegation at the beginning of a week of key meetings.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• “Blanket Travel Restrictions Don’t Work”: WHO and UNWTO
• Tourism Raises its Voice for Peace

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Tourism Raises its voice for Peace

• All Regions
• 18 Feb 2022

After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, people, as well as our whole societies and economies, have suffered enough. We cannot afford for this to continue. We must rebuild and look to the future with hope, not fear.

Peace and mutual understanding are essential ingredients for recovery. Now is the time to work together, and for diplomacy instead of conflict in all parts of the world. We must not allow political tensions to turn into a man-made crisis that will undermine our collective progress. 

Tourism is the main bridge for building understanding. It has a unique ability to promote peace between and among peoples everywhere.

Tourism is the main bridge for building understanding. It has a unique ability to promote peace between and among peoples everywhere. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) stands firmly with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his call for all countries to settle disputes through peaceful means and not through conflict, and that they respect international security and justice at all times.

As a part of the UN, giving a voice to people of all regions, backgrounds and nationalities, UNWTO also believes that the spirit of international solidarity and shared values that define not just tourism but also our common humanity will prevail. We also hope that diplomatic efforts to avoid conflict continue and succeed.

Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General

Related Links:

• Download in PDF

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Call for Urgent Action to Protect the Oceans

• All Regions
• 11 Feb 2022

Tourism’s central role in advancing the Blue Economy was highlighted as UNWTO chaired a special session and joined a Heads of State panel at the One Ocean Summit, hosted by the French Presidency this week.

In a session on “Tourism in the Blue Economy” co-hosted with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and France, high level representatives stressed how implementing a blue economy can combat the threats of climate change, plastic pollution and over exploitation of resources. At the same time, the panel, representing Colombia, Kenya, Seychelles and Palau, made clear how a stronger focus on sustainability can help deliver more competitive and inclusive tourism activities.

Addressing the Summit, UNWTO Executive Director Zoritsa Urosevic, said: “Tourism is one of the pillars of the Blue Economy and plays a key role in the preservation of oceans by providing financial incentives and mechanisms to protect ecosystems. But we can, and must, do more. As part of the recovery, tourism shall play a key role in the regeneration of coastal and marine ecosystems for resilience, putting people at the center of our efforts.”

As part of the recovery, tourism shall play a key role in the regeneration of coastal and marine ecosystems for resilience, putting people at the center of our efforts

Opportunity out of crisis

At present, tourism represents 40% of the blue economy – as the largest share in export value according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Global tourism’s restart and recovery from the impacts of the pandemic represents an opportunity for the sector to support the transformation of coastal and marine destinations towards more sustainable and resilient models that are anchored on ocean protection and responsible use.

Sylvestre Ragedonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of the Seychelles said: “The destinies of tourism and the blue economy must be intertwined to make responsible use of the limited resources. Our mother ocean should take a commanding role in tourism strategies. For the Seychelles, the blue economy represents a holistic approach for the tourism sector and local economy.”

Private sector transition

Corporate leaders from Accor, ClubMed, Costa Cruises, Iberostar Group, PONANT, TUI Group and the Blue Climate Initiative joined policy makers in the call to prioritize ocean protection and made bold commitments to address plastic pollution through practical solutions in line with the framework proposed by the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative which supports transitioning to a circular economy of plastics.

Hervé Gastinel, CEO PONANT said: “We are happy to announce our commitment to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative with the goal of eliminating single use plastics in our operations by 2022. Following the example of the polar exploration ship Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT is rolling out its "Single use Plastic" objective on all its ships.”

The workshop was moderated by Jorge Laguna-Celis, Head of the One Planet Network and closed with a call to action from Brune Poirson, Director of Sustainable Development of Accor, for tourism stakeholders to join the collective movement around the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative and the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Mr Laguna-Celis said: “The One Planet Network is pleased to partner with the One Ocean Summit to raise ambitious commitments from tourism businesses and governments. The Tourism sector can be a vector of education and prevention of plastics pollution and a source of sustainable recovery from the pandemic and generation of decent revenues for millions of people”.

Related links:

• Download the news release in PDF
• Global Tourism Plastics Initiative Releases First Progress Report and Welcomes More Signatories
• Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism
• Global Tourism Plastics Initiative
• Climate Action
• Tourism Leaders Call for Urgent Action to Protect the Oceans

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