International Tourism Down 70% as Travel Restrictions Impact All Regions

• All Regions
• 27 Oct 2020

Restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to hit global tourism hard, with the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) showing a 70% fall in international arrivals for the first eight months of 2020.

According to the newest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international arrivals plunged 81% in July and 79% in August, traditionally the two busiest months of the year and the peak of the Northern Hemisphere summer season. The drop until August represents 700 million fewer arrivals compared to the same period in 2019 and translates into a loss of US$ 730 billion in export revenues from international tourism. This is more than eight times the loss experienced on the back of the 2009 global economic and financial crisis.

“This unprecedented decline is having dramatic social and economic consequences, and puts millions of jobs and businesses at risk,” warned UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “This underlines the urgent need to safely restart tourism, in a timely and coordinated manner”.

This unprecedented decline is having dramatic social and economic consequences, and puts millions of jobs and businesses at risk

Recovery short-lived

All world regions recorded large declines in arrivals in the first eight months of the year. Asia and the Pacific, the first region to suffer from the impact of COVID-19, saw a 79% decrease in arrivals, followed by Africa and the Middle East (both - 69%), Europe (-68%) and the Americas (-65%).

Following its gradual reopening of international borders, Europe recorded comparatively smaller declines in July and August (-72% and -69%, respectively). The recovery was short-lived however, as travel restrictions and advisories were reintroduced amid an increase in contagions. On the other side of the spectrum, Asia and the Pacific recorded the largest declines with -96% in both months, reflecting the closure of borders in China and other major destinations in the region.

Demand for travel remains largely subdued due to the ongoing uncertainty about the pandemic and low confidence. Based on the latest trends, UNWTO expects an overall drop close to 70% for the whole of 2020.

Rebound in international demand expected by Q3 2021

UNWTO’s Panel of Experts foresees a rebound in international tourism in 2021, mostly in the third quarter of 2021. However, around 20% of experts suggest the rebound could occur only in 2022. Travel restrictions are seen as the main barrier standing in the way of the recovery of international tourism, along with slow virus containment and low consumer confidence. The lack of coordinated response among countries to ensure harmonized protocols and coordinated restrictions, as well as the deteriorating economic environment were also identified by experts as important obstacles for recovery.

Relevant links

• Download the press release in PDF
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer Volume 18 • Issue 6 • October 2020
• International Tourism and COVID-19
• UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker
• Covid-19: Putting people first
• Report: Travel Restrictions 7th

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75 Years of the United Nations: Cooperation and Trust as Important as Ever

• All Regions
• 23 Oct 2020

UNWTO Secretary-General Message, 23 October 2020

The United Nations, of which UNWTO is proud to be a part, was established to promote peace among nations and allow us to work together to build a better future for all.

75 years on, this mission is more relevant than ever.

The ideals that lie at the heart of the United Nations system: solidarity, cooperation and the drive for equality are the same ideals needed to ensure our recovery from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is true for every part of our societies, not least for tourism. Around the world, many millions of people are eagerly waiting for tourism to restart. For many, their livelihoods depend on it.

For this reason, UNWTO has pledged to not stand still. Even where others urge caution, we have a responsibility to move forwards – and to bring the rest of the sector, as well as political leaders, with us.

The sixth meeting of our Global Tourism Crisis Committee emphasized just how determined every part of global tourism is to get moving again. Once again, through the Committee we succeeded in bringing together a wide range of voices, reflecting the diversity of tourism itself. These included both political and business leaders – those in a position to transform ideas into action.

Only together are we stronger. We will draw on both the power of the private sector and the determination of governments to introduce a new set of Common Safety Protocols for tourism.

These will provide a clear and harmonized set of safety and hygiene protocols, vital if we are to raise confidence in international travel.

At the same time, we realize that people don’t just want to feel safe when they travel. They also want to be reassured that they will be supported in times of uncertainty.

For this reason, UNWTO will also establish an International Code for the Protection of Tourists, and we are working to ensure all our Member States, not just those in the EU zone, are included in plans to for the safe relaunch of free movement of people across Europe.

All of our actions are guided by clear, objective analysis of this rapidly-evolving situation.

Just as misinformation about the health risks of COVID-19 puts lives at risk, so too does misinformation about the safety of international travel place livelihoods in jeopardy.

From the very start of this crisis, UNWTO has been the trusted, verified source of information for every part of our sector, as well as for governments and international organizations. Our data and insights have guided tourism’s response and now inform its recovery.

As the UN celebrates 75 years of cooperation and progress, we stand behind the “Verified” campaign, launched by Secretary-General António Guterres to prevent the spread of false information while at the same time respecting freedom of opinion.

International travel can return safely – we have seen this first-hand through the return of in-person events. And we are working closely with airlines, airports and tourism accommodation providers to make clear that tourism is proactively leading the way in adapting to our new reality.

The benefits of restarting tourism will be felt far beyond our sector. It will help kickstart the recovery of our economies and societies.

And it will help us begin the next 75 years of the United Nations’ mission to bring peace and prosperity for all, with the determination to leave nobody behind.

UNWTO Secretary-General
Zurab Pololikashvili

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Canary Islands Joins Observatory Network as Members Unite to Provide Data for Tourism’s Recovery

• All Regions
• 21 Oct 2020

The Canary Islands has been confirmed as the latest member of the growing International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), overseeing the responsible development of tourism worldwide. The announcement came as INSTO, an initiative of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) held its annual meeting, bringing together key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.

Since its establishment in 2004, the network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories has steadily grown in both size and influence. Now, as its members help guide tourism’s recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it met virtually for the second time since the start of the current crisis. The annual meeting provided more than 100 international experts with a platform for open dialogue about the future direction of tourism and on the support destinations need to maintain their efforts to place sustainability at the heart of future growth. 

Warm welcome to new member  

The Tourism Observatory of the Canary Islands, one of Europe’s most popular destinations, will join the other 30 INSTO members in monitoring and measuring tourism and providing clear, objective data to guide evidence-based decision making.

UNWTO warmly welcomes the Canary Islands into our global network of observatories. This demonstrates the Islands’ strong commitment to tourism as a force for sustainability and development

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “UNWTO warmly welcomes the Canary Islands into our global network of observatories. This demonstrates the Islands’ strong commitment to tourism as a force for sustainability and development. It will facilitate the generation of more and better evidence of the economic, environmental and social impacts that tourism has on the Canary Islands.  

Ms. Teresa Berástegui Guigou, Vice-Minister of Tourism for the Canary Islands, added: “The incorporation of the Canary Islands into the UNWTO International  Network of Sustainable Observatories  takes place at a crucial and decisive moment for the global tourism sector, due to the health crisis and the growing importance of working both on the sustainability of destinations, and on the generation of tourism knowledge for decision-making.”

Immediate concerns and long-term objectives  

A range of pressing issues were discussed during the annual INSTO meeting, with inputs from the public and private sectors and from civil society, including academia. Specific issues addressed included measuring the needs of destinations, emerging public health indicators, and varying tourism products in order to mitigate the social and economic impacts of the current crisis.  

The meeting also focused on ongoing issues for INSTO members, including measuring the satisfaction of both tourists and residents of tourists destinations, assessing and improving governance, and identifying how combined national and local actions are paving the way for a sustainable response, resilience and recovery.

Related Links

• Download the press release in PDF
• UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories
• UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard
• Global Tourism Crisis Committee Meets Again: Coordination Vital Ingredient for Recovery
• INSTO website: 2020 Global INSTO Meeting

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Global Tourism Crisis Committee Meets Again: Coordination, Vital Ingredient for Recovery

• All Regions
• 20 Oct 2020

Consistent and harmonized travel protocols, enhanced safety measures and the protection of jobs and livelihoods are the main ingredients needed for the restart of tourism. The Sixth meeting of the UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Committee reminded participants of the need to work together as the only means of advancing the sustainable recovery of the sector. The meeting produced a commitment to create a new UNWTO Committee on Common Safety Protocols to increase confidence in international travel, as well as firm plans for enhanced consumer protection for consumers and measures to protect jobs.

Setting the tone for the meeting, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili made clear that, with many millions of livelihoods at stake, inaction is not an option, and that the rapid and sustainable recovery of tourism is essential.

“Strong coordination is needed to accelerate the lifting of travel restrictions in a safe and timely manner, to increase investment in systems that support safe travel, including testing on departure, and to sustain and support businesses and jobs. If we fail to address these three priorities, we will fail to restart tourism, and so fail to save millions of livelihoods”, Mr. Pololikashvili said.

This call for coordination was echoed by a diverse range of voices from the top level of politics of all global regions, including  interventions from the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of Spain, Reyes Maroto; Ahmed bin Aqil Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt;  Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia;  Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism of the Maldives; Rita Marques, Secretary of State for Tourism for Portugal and Jose Luis Uriarte, Sub-Secretary of Tourism of Chile.

Common safety protocols

Strong coordination is needed to accelerate the lifting of travel restrictions in a safe and timely manner, to increase investment in systems that support safe travel, including testing on departure, and to sustain and support businesses and jobs

At a practical level, a proposal for a new set of common travel protocols was put forward by Harry Theoharis, Minister of Tourism of Greece, and welcomed by UNWTO’s leadership and other members of the Committee. Furthermore, illustrating how safe, international travel can return, Marco Troncone, CEO of Rome Fiumicino Airport highlighted the role robust hygiene protocols and innovation can play in boosting consumer confidence.

Along the same lines, ICC Secretary-General John Denton, explained plans for a comprehensive system of testing on departure to raise consumer confidence and take away the need for quarantine on arrival. Alongside them, Adam Goldstein, Global Chairman of CLIA, and a Luis Felipe Oliveira, Director General of Airports Council International made clear the proactive measures undertaken to cruise tourism and air travel safe for both passengers and workers.

Putting people first

Just as people are at the driving force of global tourism, so too has UNWTO stressed that recovery policies must recovery be people-focused. For starters, restoring consumer trust and coherent and standardized international protocols are mutually reinforcing and critical for the return of tourism. The Crisis Committee meeting saw UNWTO announce plans for a new International Code for the Protection of Tourists. This will be the first legal framework to protect tourists’ rights as consumers, harmonizing minimum standards across different countries and ensuring the fair distribution of responsibility to tourists affecting by the pandemic among stakeholders across the sector.

A technical committee for the creation of the Code is being set up and will meet before the end of the month. Alongside this, UNWTO is working to protect jobs and help workers affected by the pandemic find new opportunities. Addressing the Committee Kamal Ahluwaila of tech company Eightfold.ai outlined the new Jobs Factory portal, launched with UNTWO in order to unite jobseekers with employers.

Harmonized travel criteria

Reflecting UNWTOs high-level relations with European institutions, the European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders addressed the Committee to outline plans to introduce common criteria for restrictions on travel across the EU. UNWTO advocated for non-EU Members to be considered part of this movement towards standardisation, particularly the common colour-coded mapping system currently being rolled out for the safe relaunch of free moment.  And reflecting UNWTO’s status as part of the wider UN response to COVID-19, ICAO Secretary-General Fang Liu, was joined by representatives from IATA, ILO, IMO the WHO and  for the virtual meeting, in addition to representation from the OECD.

About the UNWTO Global Crisis Committee

Leveraging its unrivalled status as the global leader of tourism, UNWTO united leaders from across the sector. From its first meeting, the UNWTO Global Crisis Committee has provided a platform for governments, businesses and international bodies to express their concerns and share ideas for the restart of tourism. The Committee’s composition reflects not only UNWTO’s unique influence and status as a part of the United Nations but also tourism’s importance for every global region and the sector’s cross-cutting nature. Members are drawn from all parts of the world and include government Ministers, leaders and key representatives of International Organizations and UN agencies and from tourism’s private sector.

Related Links

• Download the press release in PDF
• UNWTO Delegation in Brussels for Talks with European Institution Leaders
• UNWTO and IATA Sign Agreement to Restore Confidence in International Aviation
• Covid-19: Putting people first

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UNWTO Delegation in Brussels for Talks with European Institution Leaders

• All Regions
• 14 Oct 2020

The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has led a high-level delegation to Brussels for a series of meetings aimed at ensuring tourism remains at the top of the political agenda of the European Institutions.

As UNWTO guides the global restart of tourism, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili has been working closely with European leaders to ensure the sector receives the political and financial support needed to protect livelihoods and safeguard businesses. During his visit to Brussels, Mr. Pololikashvili urged the leaders of the European institutions to transform the ambitious plans for the recovery into reality by coordinating a package of response measures that will allow for tourism to return and to drive the recovery of the EU economy.

At the same time, the UNWTO leadership stressed the importance of supporting and growing domestic tourism. According to Mr Pololikashvili, domestic tourism has immense potential, including for the recovery and development of rural communities. However, for this potential to be realized, governments and the European Institutions need to provide greater direction and stronger leadership.

Tourism is a central pillar of European economies, a leading employer and a source of opportunity for many millions of people across the continent

The UNWTO delegation met with Mr. Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission, Mr. Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, with the office of Mr. David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament and key representatives of the European Council. On the back of the meetings, it was confirmed that the issue of easing travel restrictions will be on the agenda at the next meeting of the European Council, highlighting the importance and timeliness of UNWTO’s interventions. 

High-level leadership essential

Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “Tourism is a central pillar of European economies, a leading employer and a source of opportunity for many millions of people across the continent. The leaders of the European Institutions have signalled their commitment to supporting tourism at this challenging time. High-level leadership and unprecedented levels of cooperation between the Institutions, governments and businesses will be needed to translate good intentions into firm actions and so help tourism lead the continent’s recovery from crisis.”

Secretary-General Pololikashvili congratulated European leaders for their role in opening the borders of EU Member States before the end of the summer season. This gave some much needed impetus to travel and tourism and saw a promising upturn in international tourist arrivals in several European markets.

Coordination only way to restart tourism

UNWTO calls on governments to avoid acting unilaterally and closing borders as this has proven not to be effective in controlling the spread of the virus. It is vital that the focus shifts from limiting travel to ensuring safe travel by putting in place measures like widely accessible, fast testing at departure. Such measures will protect the health of travellers as well as tourism- and travel-related workers, while at the same time fostering trust and boosting confidence.

Tourism contributes 10% of total GDP for the European Union and supports more than 2.4 million businesses. The sector is on track for a fall of between 60% and 90% in bookings compared to similar periods in previous years. The estimated revenue loss this year for hotels and restaurants, tour operators, long distance rail and for cruises and airlines is from 85% to 90%. As a result of this pandemic, 6 million people may lose their jobs.

This visit to Brussels comes on the back of the European Tourism Convention, during which Mr. Pololikashvili stressed the importance of supporting and promoting green investments in tourism so as to drive sustainable recovery from the present crisis.

Related Links

• Download the press release in PDF
• G20 Tourism Leaders Commit to Intensify Efforts Towards Sustainable Recovery
• UNWTO and FAO Partner on Tourism for Rural Development

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G20 Tourism Leaders Commit to Intensify Efforts towards a Sustainable Recovery

• All Regions
• 7 Oct 2020

Tourism Ministers of the G20 nations have committed to stepping up their efforts to place sustainability and inclusion at the heart of tourism recovery and future growth. The implementation of the World Tourism Organization AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism, presented on the occasion of the Ministerial Meeting, was welcomed by the G20 Tourism Ministers as a tool for achieving a fairer and more inclusive sector.

Under the leadership of the 2020 G20 Saudi Presidency, UNWTO and the G20 Tourism Working Group developed the AlUla Framework to further advance the contribution of the sector as an effective means towards fairer growth and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Framework provides specific recommendations and tools to support both governments as well as all other key stakeholders in the tourism sector – including regional and local governments, the private sector, industry associations, civil society, communities and tourists – fostering a truly holistic and integrated approach to inclusive community development through tourism.

G20 nations can set the example

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “As we join forces to restart tourism, we must live up to our responsibility to ensure that tourism’s benefits are shared by all. I congratulate the Saudi Presidency for placing inclusive community development through tourism at the heart of the G20 Agenda and I invite G20 countries to follow this vision and embrace tourism as an effective means for inclusion and sustainability.”

As we join forces to restart tourism, we must live up to our responsibility to ensure that tourism’s benefits are shared by all

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Tourism and Chair of the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting welcomed the AlUla Framework saying, “On behalf of the G20 Tourism Ministers, I commend the Tourism Working Group and the UNWTO for this initiative. The AlUla Framework – named after Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO world heritage site – demonstrates how the tourism sector can promote inclusive community development by highlighting practical examples and case studies that governments can emulate to protect local culture and the environment, while empowering local communities, especially women and young people. The Framework is a vital tool to be used as we work together to rebuild the tourism sector to be more sustainable, resilient and inclusive.

Placing tourism at the heart of development policies

Calling for a model of tourism development based on Public-Private-Community (PPC) partnerships, the Framework includes a set of concrete programmes and initiatives based around four pillars of action – empowerment, safeguarding, prosperity and collaboration.  It further defines the key areas of measurement for the impact of tourism in the communities in line with the Measuring Sustainable Tourism Initiative, led by UNWTO. 

Among the G20 Guidelines for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism endorsed at the meeting, is the importance of placing tourism at the heart of development policies at international, national and local level. The Guidelines further stress the importance of human capital development, inclusive labor markets, adequate social protection, and innovation and entrepreneurship as key contributors to travel and tourism as a human-centered sector, as well as to advancing women’s empowerment and to create decent jobs for all.  

Note:

The Framework was developed by UNWTO and the G20 Tourism Working Group in collaboration with the IE Center for the Governance of Change and the academic contribution of the University of Surrey.  The Framework includes the contributions of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Bank Group and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Related Links

• Download the press release in PDF
• AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism
• AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism – Executive Summary
• UNWTO Executive Council Backs Strong, United Plan for Global Tourism
• G20 2020: Riyadh Summit

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