Tourist Numbers Down 83% but Confidence Slowly Rising

• All Regions
• 2 Jun 2021

International tourist arrivals were down 83% in the first quarter of 2021 as widespread travel restrictions remained in place. However, the UNWTO Confidence Index shows signs of a slow uptick in confidence.

Between January and March 2021 destinations around the world welcomed 180 million fewer international arrivals compared to the first quarter of last year. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the lowest levels of activity with a 94% drop in international arrivals over the three-month period. Europe recorded the second largest decline with -83%, followed by Africa (-81%), the Middle East (-78%) and the Americas (-71%). This all follows on from the 73% fall in worldwide international tourist arrivals recorded in 2020, making it the worst year on record for the sector. 

Lack of coordination harms #RestartTourism

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili comments: “There is significant pent-up demand and we see confidence slowly returning. Vaccinations will be key for recovery, but we must improve coordination and communication while making testing easier and more affordable if we want to see a rebound for the summer season in the northern hemisphere.”

Vaccinations will be key for recovery, but we must improve coordination and communication while making testing easier and more affordable if we want to see a rebound for the summer season in the northern hemisphere.

The latest survey of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts shows prospects for the May-August period improving slightly. Alongside this, the pace of the vaccination rollout in some key source markets as well as policies to restart tourism safely, most notably the EU Digital Green Certificate, have boosted hopes for a rebound in some of these markets.

Overall, 60% expect a rebound in international tourism only in 2022, up from 50% in the January 2021 survey. The remaining 40% see a potential rebound in 2021, though this is down slightly from the percentage in January. Nearly half of the experts do not see a return to 2019 international tourism levels before 2024 or later, while the percentage of respondents indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 has somewhat decreased (37%), when compared to the January survey.

Tourism experts point to the continued imposition of travel restrictions and the lack of coordination in travel and health protocols as the main obstacle to the sector’s rebound.

The Impact of COVID on Tourism cuts global exports by 4%

The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer also shows the economic toll of the pandemic. International tourism receipts in 2020 declined by 64% in real terms (local currencies, constant prices), equivalent to a drop of over US$ 900 billion, cutting the overall worldwide exports value by over 4% in 2020. The total loss in export revenues from international tourism (including passenger transport) amounts to nearly US$ 1.1 trillion. Asia and the Pacific (-70% in real terms) and the Middle East (-69%) saw the largest drops in receipts.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, Volume 19, Issue 3, May 2021
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, Volume 19, Issue 3, May 2021 (Excerpt)
• UNWTO Opens Call for ‘Best Tourism Villages’
• UNWTO and IATA Collaborate on Destination Tracker to Restore Confidence in Travel
• UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard

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Telefónica and the World Tourism Organization renew their commitment to promote sustainable, secure and competitive tourism development

• All Regions
• 1 Jun 2021

• The framework agreement was ratified by Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and María Jesús Almazor, CEO Cybersecurity and Cloud at Telefónica Tech.
• This new memorandum of understanding is valid until 2022 and will focus mainly on five areas of action: digital entrepreneurship; digital education and training; application of new technologies (big data, artificial intelligence, etc.), digital economy and support for tourism and rural development.

Telefónica and the UNWTO renew their commitment to cooperate to promote tourism through sustainable and competitive development based on digitalisation and the application of new technologies such as cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), etc.

Restarting tourism and fostering opportunities is the basis of this new partnership. As such, the UN specialised agency for tourism and Telefónica will continue to work together, globally to foster global and regional innovation ecosystems; provide technical support to initiatives aimed at accelerating recovery; and drive the adoption of new technologies.

UNWTO's partnership with Telefónica builds global and local ecosystems to support innovation and accelerate the digital transformation of tourism

This global framework agreement was ratified by Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and María Jesús Almazor, CEO of Cybersecurity and Cloud at Telefónica Tech, and is framed within five major areas of action: digital entrepreneurship; digital education and training; application of new technologies (big data, artificial intelligence, etc.); digital economy and, with special emphasis on the development of rural tourism.

Speaking at the event, Mr Pololikashvili said: "The restart of tourism will need new ideas and the best talent. We need to support innovators and entrepreneurs who can transform our sector. UNWTO's partnership with Telefónica builds global and local ecosystems to support innovation and accelerate the digital transformation of tourism."

For her part, María Jesús Almazor, stressed that "technology increases the productivity and resilience of businesses. The implementation of digital solutions in the tourism sector makes it possible to develop a differential, personalised and secure tourism offer that is more focused on behavioural patterns and the management of spaces, which will undoubtedly contribute to the recovery of a key activity for the economy in general".

Common objectives, projects carried out

In this sense, and as a result of the previous collaboration agreement, Telefónica Tech and the UNWTO carried out an exhaustive analysis of the tourism received by the more than 150 member States, which consisted of the design and implementation of four dashboards so that the information could be consulted by regions, countries and even at a global level.

These visualisation tools are available within the UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard which allows better access and understanding of key global tourism indicators (origin and destination flows, accommodation supply and demand, employment and seasonality) helping destinations to plan and manage their products more effectively and even improve tourism flows in a context of new health and safety protocols being implemented in response to COVID-19. At a time when market intelligence is key to recovery, this analysis also allows us to understand behavioural patterns to better address some of the challenges facing tourism and to draw relevant conclusions that influence decision-making.

Similarly, both organisations will continue to collaborate in identifying disruptive projects that contribute to the sustainability of the sector, as was done in the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition, which brought together more than 10,000 participants from 138 countries. The winners are being analysed by Telefónica, specifically through Wayra, for future opportunities based on their technology. Specifically, work will be carried out in the field of tourism's contribution to rural development.

The digital transformation that the tourism sector is undergoing to increase its competitiveness and resilience needs to be brought closer to the people who carry it out, and it is necessary and urgent to train them so that they can address these challenges. For this reason, during the previous alliance, more than 1,200 people were trained in digital skills and entrepreneurship, including entrepreneurs and government officials from different countries through training sessions in the UNWTO Tourism Tech Adventures innovation forums, webinars and Acceleration programmes. In this new stage, the aim is to promote this type of training actions to reach more people and companies in the sector and thus leave no one behind in the digitisation process.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard
• Sustainable Development Goals Global Startup Competition

UNWTO and Euronews Partner to Highlight the Relevance of Tourism

• All Regions
• 27 May 2021

UNWTO and international broadcaster Euronews have signed a new agreement to work together to lead the global tourism recovery by highlighting the heightened economic, development, social and cultural relevance of the sector.

This agreement was signed within the framework of the opening of UNWTO’s Regional Office in the Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It builds on the existing cooperation between the UN specialized agency for tourism and this leading international broadcaster towards restoring trust in travel and restarting tourism. Europe is the main source market for Middle East, a growing tourism destination and one that is coming of age, as shown by the opening of the UNWTO office there. The partnership will focus on identifying tourism-related news that will inspire and inform viewers and showcase the sector’s importance to drive recovery and sustainable development for all.

“This partnership will showcase tourism’s unique ability to provide opportunity and drive growth and allow us to share UNWTO’s trusted data and tourism insights with a wider audience”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili.

This partnership will showcase tourism’s unique ability to provide opportunity and drive growth and allow us to share UNWTO’s trusted data and tourism insights with a wider audience

Euronews’ CEO Michael Peters says: “For almost three decades, Euronews has worked with the biggest players in the travel & tourism industry, from airlines, hotels to tourism boards, countries, regions and investment agencies, crafting meaningful stories in 15 languages and enabling a 360° communication strategy for our partners to reach over 140M consumers every month. During the height of the pandemic, we launched a dedicated “Euronews Travel” vertical, rooted in Euronews’ multi-cultural storytelling expertise. Our viewers are passionate about travel, but also in taking an active role in the future of tourism: enthusiasm has not decreased since the beginning of the pandemic, quite the opposite. More than 50% of Europeans plan to travel again in the coming six months. We are excited to work with the UNWTO to offer our viewers a closer relationship with this important industry and to offer our partners in this sector a trusted platform to share their inspirational stories with the world.”

UNWTO and Euronews will collaborate on joint tourism related research projects. Under the agreement, Euronews will also provide ongoing support for several UNWTO’s leading initiatives, including recovery communications, tourism innovation and skills development.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Makes History with Opening of First Regional Office in the Middle East
• Opening of the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East - Video
• Euronews
• Africanews

UNWTO Makes History with Opening of a Regional Office in the Middle East

• All Regions, Middle East
• 26 May 2021

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has opened a Regional Office for the Middle East, bringing the United Nations specialized agency closer to its Members and advancing on its commitment to guiding the development of tourism in every global region.

At a ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili was joined by Her Royal Highness Princess Haifa Al-Saud, Deputy Minister of Tourism for Strategy and Investment, and the Kingdom’s Minister for Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb to officially open the office. They were also joined by Tourism Ministers from across both Middle East and from every other global region, as well as by leaders from the private sector.

A hub for growth and symbol of hope

The UNWTO Regional Office will be a centre of conversation, debate and decision-making and bring hope to many people across the region allowing them to enjoy the social and economic benefits only tourism can deliver

The new office will serve as a hub for UNWTO to coordinate policy and initiatives across its 13 Member States in the region. This includes a number of tourism projects and products, among them the new “Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO”, launched on the occasion of the opening of the Regional Office. Alongside this, Riyadh will also be home to an expanded UNWTO International Tourism Academy, providing opportunities for people of all backgrounds from across the region, including women and youth.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The UNWTO Regional Office will be a centre of conversation, debate and decision-making and bring hope to many people across the region allowing them to enjoy the social and economic benefits only tourism can deliver. Work on the office began after the start of the pandemic, proof of our determination and the strong support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated UNWTO on the occasion, saying “I believe that this Office will help the Middle East region recover its tourism sector as well as support the growth of rural tourism development worldwide.”

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Minister for Tourism, added: “We are thrilled to host the new Regional Office in Saudi Arabia. This demonstrates our commitment to working with our partners at the UNWTO to develop a strong industry based on the principles of sustainability and opportunities for all, across the region and globally.”

UNWTO also contributed expert insights to the Tourism Recovery Summit, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism and held against the backdrop of the Regional Office opening.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Opening of the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East
• 47th UNWTO Regional Commission for the Middle East
• Opening of the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East - Video
• Regional Department for Middle East

UNWTO Opens Call for ‘Best Tourism Villages’

• All Regions
• 26 May 2021

• UNWTO is recognizing villages across the world that are committed to the promotion and preservation of their cultural heritage and sustainable development through tourism
• New initiative announced at the opening of UNWTO Middle East regional office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The search is on for the best examples of rural villages harnessing the power of tourism to provide opportunity and safeguard their communities, local traditions and heritage. The initiative of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will identify villages taking innovative and transformative approaches to tourism in rural areas in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With the vision of making tourism a positive force for transformation, rural development and community wellbeing, ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ aims to maximise the contribution of the sector to reducing regional inequalities and fighting against rural depopulation. It also seeks to advance the role of tourism in valuing and safeguarding rural villages along with their associated landscapes, knowledge systems, biological and cultural diversity, local values and activities, including gastronomy.

We want to recognize the uniqueness of each village and showcase the best initiatives to make tourism a means for a better future in rural areas

The launch of the ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ initiative takes place on the occasion of the opening of UNWTO’s Regional Office in the Middle East (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), underscoring the focus of the Office on, among other issues, the role of tourism in rural development.

Celebrating tourism as a driver of rural development and wellbeing

“Tourism can be a driver of positive change for rural communities all around the world,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “We want to recognize the uniqueness of each village and showcase the best initiatives to make tourism a means for a better future in rural areas. As we restart tourism, we work to ensure that we leave no one - and no village- behind.”

At the opening of the UNWTO Regional office in Riyadh, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Tourism, said: “We are proud to be a partner of UNWTO as they launch this important initiative. For our rural communities, tourism is an opportunity to share their vibrant culture, amazing food and famous Saudi hospitality, while benefitting from the socio-economic opportunities provided by the sector.”

The initiative includes three pillars: 

1. The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Label: The Label will recognize a village which is an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with recognized cultural and natural assets, that preserves and promotes rural and community-based values, products and lifestyle and has a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects – economic, social and environmental.

2. The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Upgrade Programme: The Upgrade programme will benefit a number of villages that do not fully meet the Label criteria. These villages will receive support from UNWTO and its Partners in improving elements of the areas identified as gaps in the evaluation process.

3. The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Network: The Network will provide a space for exchanging experiences and good practices, learnings, and opportunities. It will include representatives of the villages awarded the ‘Best Tourism Village by UNWTO’ Label, the villages participating in the Upgrade Programme, as well as experts, public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of tourism for rural development.

UNWTO Members States can present up to three villages to be assessed by the Initiative. Applications will close on 31 July 2021. The selected villages will be announced in October 2021, on the occasion of the 24 session of the UNWTO General Assembly (Marrakesh, Morocco).

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Webpage
• Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Video
• Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO: Presentation

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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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