The devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism has carried on into 2021, with new data showing an 87% fall in international tourist arrivals in January as compared to 2020. The outlook for the rest of the year remain cautious as the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) continues to call for stronger coordination on travel protocols between countries to ensure the safe restart of tourism and avoid another year of massive losses for the sector.
Following a difficult end to 2020, global tourism suffered further setbacks in the beginning of the year as countries tightened travel restrictions in response to new virus outbreaks. According to the latest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, all world regions continued to experience large drops in tourist arrivals in the first month of the year. Mandatory testing, quarantines, and in some cases the complete closure of borders, have all hindered the resumption of international travel. In addition, the speed and distribution of the vaccination roll-out have been slower than expected, further delaying the restart of tourism.
The international community needs to take strong and urgent action to ensure a brighter 2021. Many millions of livelihoods and businesses are depending on it
Asia and the Pacific (-96%), the region which continues to have the highest level of travel restrictions in place, recorded the largest decrease in international arrivals in January. Europe and Africa both saw a decline of 85% in arrivals, while the Middle East recorded a drop of 84%. International arrivals in the Americas decreased by 77% in January, following somewhat better results in the last quarter of the year.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “2020 was the worst year on record for tourism. The international community needs to take strong and urgent action to ensure a brighter 2021. Many millions of livelihoods and businesses are depending on it. Improved coordination between countries and harmonized travel and health protocols are essential to restore confidence in tourism and allow international travel to resume safely ahead of the peak summer season in the northern hemisphere.”
With 32% of all global destinations completely closed to international tourists at the beginning of February, UNWTO anticipates a challenging first few months of 2021 for global tourism.
Based on current trends, UNWTO expects international tourist arrivals to be down about 85% in the first quarter of 2021 over the same period of 2019. This would represent a loss of some 260 million international arrivals when compared to pre-pandemic levels. Looking ahead, UNWTO has outlined two scenarios for 2021, which consider a possible rebound in international travel in the second half of the year. These are based on a number of factors, most notably a major lifting of travel restrictions, the success of vaccination programmes or the introduction of harmonized protocols such as the Digital Green Certificate planned by the European Commission.
The first scenario points to a rebound in July, which would result in a 66% increase in international arrivals for the year 2021 compared to the historic lows of 2020. In this case, arrivals would still be 55% below the levels recorded in 2019. The second scenario considers a potential rebound in September, leading to a 22% increase in arrivals compared to last year. Still, this would be 67% below the levels of 2019.
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.
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.
Dear Affiliate Members,
I am pleased to share with you this issue of the AM Newsletter featuring some of the strategies that our Affiliate Members will implement in 2021.
As you will read, we share the common vision to achieve a tourism that is more responsible, fairer and respectful for the environment and populations, with strategies for sustainable development being at the core of the recovery efforts. Also, digitalization as a tool for sustainability, along with furthering global partnerships and reinforcing collaboration are all highlighted by our membership as important elements to implement in 2021.
The aforementioned strategic lines are all aligned with UNWTO’s priorities to make tourism smarter through fostering innovation and leading the digital transformation of the sector; to promote investment and entrepreneurship; as well as harnessing tourism’s unique potential to protect social, cultural, and environmental sustainability. Over the last months, my team has listened to your valuable inputs and proposals and has incorporated the ones aligned with UNWTO’s objectives and priorities into our Programme of Work for 2021.
I am pleased to announce that the updated version of Programme of Work for 2021 of the Affiliate Members Department has been validated by the Board of Affiliate Members. This was one of the main points for discussion at our Plenary Session -held in Madrid in November 2020, when a first draft containing the inputs received from our Affiliate Members was presented. Since then, my team has been in permanent contact with our membership, encouraging them to continue sending us their proposals and expressing our availability to continue enriching this work program.
The updated Programme of Work for 2021 contains the objective and priority lines of action that will guide the activities of the Affiliate Members Department in 2021, which you can see summarized in this issue. Most importantly, it incorporates an enriching variety of projects and activities proposed by our Affiliate Members and that will be supported by my Department. These activities cover a wide range of important areas including sustainability and accessibility projects, COVID-19 response initiatives, and priority topics such as tourism and audiovisual, sports tourism and rural tourism.
I am confident that we can stay positive and focused on the future and on working together to make our strategies for the recovery of tourism a success.
As always, I am at your disposal and look forward to hearing any comments you may have. I also encourage you to actively use our AMConnected platform by sharing your information and staying up-to-date with the latest information of the UNWTO.
Yours sincerely,
Ion Vilcu
