Vaccinate SIDS to Restart Tourism Kickstart Recovery, UNWTO Urges

• All Regions
• 26 Mar 2021

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is calling for the international community to show solidarity with Small Island Developing States by ensuring they have access to COVID-19 vaccinations.

With tourism a leading employer and economic pillar for many of the SIDS, the United Nations specialized agency has stressed that pledges to ensure ‘nobody is left behind’ in the recovery phase of the crisis must be backed up with firm actions. Given the relatively small size of the populations of the SIDS, the cost of mass vaccinations will be minimal compared to the potential benefits of restarting tourism. Moreover, given tourism’s wide value chain and proven ability to create opportunity for all, the impact of rolling out mass vaccinations and allowing tourism to restart, will go beyond economic benefits.   

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “By sharing vaccines with Small Island Developing States, the international community can help accelerate the restart of tourism in these leading destinations. Due to the size of the populations of the SIDS, the cost of mass vaccinations will be small, but the benefits will be significant. It will restore confidence in visiting SIDS, allowing the many social and economic benefits of tourism to return.”

By sharing vaccines with Small Island Developing States, the international community can help accelerate the restart of tourism in these leading destinations

Secretary-General Pololikashvili made the comments after a meeting with His Excellency Dario Item, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to Spain, at the UNWTO headquarters in Madrid. One of the 38 SIDS, Antigua and Barbuda is a top tourism destination and is looking to the restart of tourism to protect businesses and jobs and economic growth at both the national and local level. Ambassador Item affirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s application to become a Member State of UNWTO, pending ratification by the upcoming UNWTO General Assembly (October 2021, Marrakesh, Morocco).

According to UNWTO data, prior to the start of the pandemic, tourism accounted for more than 30% of total exports in the majority of the 38 SIDS. In some countries, this proportion has risen as high as 90%. The significance of tourism makes these destinations especially vulnerable to falling tourist numbers, making the timely restart of the sector of vital importance.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Briefing Note: Tourism in the SIDS – The Challenge of Sustaining Livelihoods in Times of COVID-19
• UNWTO: Small Island Developing States

Governments Join Sector Leaders in Backing Principles for International Code to Protect Tourists

• All Regions
• 24 Mar 2021

More than 100 countries, alongside international organizations and leading business groups have agreed to adopt harmonized standards for assisting tourists caught up in emergency situations. The Committee for the Development of an International Code for the Protection of Tourists has agreed on the text of the first two Chapters of the Code, containing seven key principles for a landmark legal code aimed at restoring confidence in international travel in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The importance of harmonization of protocols, balance, coordination, cooperation and accessibility, are among the seven core principles agreed by the Committee tasked with advancing the “Assistance to International Tourists in Emergency Situations” code. Published by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), it will provide guidance to countries worldwide on how to help tourists affected by emergencies, including but not limited to health emergencies.

We can only restart tourism if we restore trust in travel. People want to feel safe and looked after when they travel.

The Committee also agreed on a set of recommendations relating to providing tourists affected by emergency situations with information, assistance and, if necessary, repatriation. It is expected that this ongoing consultation process will produce an internationally-recognized Code for the Protection of Tourists before the end of the year.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “We can only restart tourism if we restore trust in travel. People want to feel safe and looked after when they travel. And the Code for the Protection of Tourists will provide this, based on the collaboration of the global tourism sector and governments.”

Alongside representatives of more than 100 countries, the Committee counts on the participation of the European Commission, and several of UNWTO’s sister UN agencies, including the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and international bodies including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Private sector stakeholders include the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA), The European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Associations (ECTAA), the umbrella Association for Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes in Europe HOTREC, Expedia Group, and Allianz Group.

The results from the deliberations of the Committee will be published on an interim basis as it advances minimum tourism consumer protection standards at the international level to provide guidance to countries for the recovery and the restart of tourism.  

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• International Code for the Protection of Tourists
• Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
• Guiding tourism's recovery

UN Agencies Partner for Guide to Help Women in Tourism Recover from Crisis

• All Regions
• 8 Mar 2021

As the sector enters the second year of an unprecedented crisis, the impact this has had on women in tourism has been made clear. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the pandemic, and the unprecedented drop in international tourist arrivals, risks rolling back progress made towards achieving gender equality and efforts to empower women and girls.

UNWTO is marking International Women’s Day 2021 with the release of our Inclusive Recovery Guide for women in tourism, compiled in collaboration with UN Women.

UNWTO data shows that women make up the majority of the tourism workforce (54%). Women in tourism are also often concentrated in low-skilled or informal work. This means that they are feeling the economic shock caused by the crisis more acutely and quicker than their male counterparts. In many cases, they are cut off from the social and healthcare protections that are so vital in a global pandemic.

Crisis “has a woman’s face”

Tourism is a proven driver of equality and opportunity

The Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres says, “As the world marks International Women’s Day in the midst of a global pandemic, one stark fact is clear: the COVID-19 crisis has a woman’s face.” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili adds, “Tourism is a proven driver of equality and opportunity. This unprecedented crisis has hit our sector’s women fast and hard, which is why gender equality and empowerment must be centre stage as we work together to restart tourist and accelerate recovery.”

Recommendations for inclusive recovery

Almost one year on since the pandemic was officially declared, the negative impact it is having on women and girls has become devastatingly clear. This increase in women’s economic and social insecurity combined with the observed rise in unpaid care work and domestic violence have meant that women in tourism have been disproportionately affected by the devastating effects of the pandemic on the sector.

The Inclusive Recovery Guide provides recommendations to policymakers, businesses and civil society actors in tourism for designing gender-responsive measures in response to the ongoing pandemic.

Related links

• Download in PDF
• UNWTO Inclusive Recovery Guide – Sociocultural Impacts of Covid-19, Issue 3: Women in tourism
• UNWTO: Women’s Empowerment and Tourism
• UNWTO COVID-19 Response

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Tightened Travel Restrictions Underline Current Challenges for Tourism

• All Regions
• 8 Mar 2021

One in three destinations worldwide are now completely closed to international tourism. According to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the emergence of new variants of the COVID-19 virus has prompted many governments to reverse efforts to ease restrictions on travel, with total closures to tourists most prevalent in Asia and the Pacific and Europe.

The UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report provides a comprehensive overview of the regulations in place in 217 destinations worldwide. While previous editions had shown a movement towards easing or lifting restrictions on travel, the latest report shows that the persistent seriousness of the epidemiological situation has caused governments to adopt a more cautious approach.

As of the beginning of February, 32% of all destinations worldwide (69 in total) are completely closed for international tourism. Of these, around just over half (38 destinations) have been closed for at least 40 weeks. At the same time, 34% of worldwide destinations are now partially closed to international tourists.

Now, as we work to restart tourism, we must recognise that restrictions are just one part of the solution

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Polilikashvili says: “Travel restrictions have been widely used to restrict the spread of the virus. Now, as we work to restart tourism, we must recognise that restrictions are just one part of the solution. Their use must be based on the latest data and analysis and consistently reviewed so as to allow for the safe and responsible restart of a sector upon which many millions of businesses and jobs depend.”

Regional variations clear

The ninth edition of the UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report shows that regional differences with regards to travel restrictions remain. Of the 69 destinations where borders are completely closed to tourists, 30 are in Asia and the Pacific, 15 are in Europe, 11 are in Africa, 10 are in the Americas and three are in the Middle East.

At the same time, the UNWTO research also indicates a trend towards adopting a more nuanced, evidence and risk-based approach to implementing travel restrictions. Growing numbers of destinations worldwide now require international tourists to present a negative PCR or antigen test upon arrival and also provide contact details for tracing purposes. Indeed, 32% of all worldwide destinations now have the presentation of such tests as their main requirement for international arrivals often combined with quarantine, while the same amount have made tests a secondary or tertiary measure.

Top tourism markets remain cautious

As UNWTO leads the restart of tourism, the Travel Restrictions Report also notes how different governments are issuing advice to their own citizens. Analysis of the top ten tourism source markets currently advising against non-essential travel abroad found they generated 44% of all international arrivals in 2018. UNWTO notes that advice issued by governments will play a crucial role in the restart and recovery of tourism in the weeks and months ahead.

Related Links

• Download the press release in PDF
• UNWTO Report: 9th Report on Travel Restrictions
• COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions
• One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme (2020), One Planet Vision for a Responsible Recovery of the Tourism Sector

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