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UNWTO Gastronomy Tourism Forum in Japan to Focus People and Planet

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UNWTO Gastronomy Tourism Forum in Japan to Focus People and Planet - TOP25RESTAURANTS.com - TRAVELINDEXNara, Japan, November 18, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The growing importance of gastronomy tourism as a driver of inclusive development will be celebrated in the Japanese city of Nara next month.

Held under the theme ‘Gastronomy Tourism for People and Planet: Innovate, Empower and Preserve’, the 7th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism will take place on 12-15 December. Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Basque Culinary Center (BCC) and hosted by the Nara Prefecture Government, with the support of the Japan Tourism Agency, the event will put the spotlight on the role of gastronomy tourism as a platform for development, women’s and youth empowerment and innovative ways on how to attract and retain talent.

• Discover the World’s Best Fine Dining Restaurants and Ultimate Gastronomy Destinations at Top25Restaurants.com

It will also see the launch of UNWTO’s Global Roadmap on Food Waste Reduction in Tourism. The Roadmap provides a consistent framework for tourism stakeholders to embrace the sustainable management of food so that it never becomes waste.

Innovation and social inclusion

Forum represents a unique opportunity for experts to share their best practices and enhance the role of Gastronomy Tourism in sustainability, innovation, and social inclusion, and highlight its importance for regional and rural development

UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili says: “This year’s edition of the Forum represents a unique opportunity for experts to share their best practices and enhance the role of Gastronomy Tourism in sustainability, innovation, and social inclusion, and highlight its importance for regional and rural development.”

Joxe Mari Aizega, Director of the Basque Culinary Center, added: “The gastronomy sector has a meaningful influence on a region’s image and international projection. And for that, forums like this one are needed to nurture and boost young talents, create value, and, most important, address the challenges that the gastronomy tourism sector is facing.”

The Governor of Nara Mr. Shogo Arai said: “Gastronomy tourism has been at the heart of Nara’s initiatives to promote the linkages between food and tourism. Such linkages not only contribute to the promotion of traditional culture and diversity, but also to the development of cultural communication, the regional economy, sustainable tourism, and gastronomic exchanges.”

Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, Mr. Koichi Wada, added: “In this country of great tradition and culture, where tourism and food and beverage professionals are engaged in friendly competition, there are many new initiatives in gastronomy tourism. We look forward to welcoming you back to Japan.”

• Discover the World’s Best Fine Dining Restaurants and Ultimate Gastronomy Destinations at Top25Restaurants.com

Global gastronomy leaders

The Forum will once again welcome many of the leading figures of global gastronomy and tourism. Among those set to take part in Nara are UNWTO Ambassador for Sustainable Tourism and Asia’s Best Female Chef of 2016, Maria Margarita A. Fores of the Philippines, Chef Catia Uliassi, ranked number 12 in the ‘50 Best’ from Italy, and  Masayuki Miura, owner of Kiyosuminosato AWA Michelin Guide Nara 2022, Green-Star Restaurant (Japan). The full line-up is available on the Forum Programme.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

At G20 UNWTO Advances Role of People and MSMES

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At G20 UNWTO Advances Role of People and MSMES - TRAVELINDEXBali, Indonesia, November 18, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Small enterprises and local communities must be given the support they need to become true ‘agents of change’. As leaders of the G20 economies meet in Bali this week, UNWTO has stressed the importance of empowering grassroots actors as well as MSMES in order to drive sustainable and inclusive transformation and build greater resilience.

As the global community faces up to a range of challenges, including geopolitical tensions, rising energy prices and a climate emergency, UNWTO has placed tourism firmly on the G20 agenda. Under the Indonesian Presidency of the G20, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili urged leaders to seize the opportunity to rethink and transform tourism in order to deliver on its massive potential for sustainability and opportunity.

Speed up and scale up transformation

We are behind in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. In fact, progress has actually been reversed in areas like gender equality

Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “We are behind in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. In fact, progress has actually been reversed in areas like gender equality. Tourism can help us get back on track. But we need to speed up. And we need to scale up. There is no time to lose.”

Over the course of 2022, UNWTO has worked with the G20 Tourism Working Group under the leadership of the Indonesian Presidency and the Minister of Tourism and Creative Industries, Sandiaga Uno, on Guidelines to make MSMEs and Communities agents of transformation. Released in September, on the occasion of the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, the Guidelines are built on five pillars,: 1. Human Capital; 2. Innovation, digitalization and the creative economy; 3. Women and youth empowerment; 4. Climate action, biodiversity conservation, and circularity; and 5. Policy, governance and investment.

Together, the Guidelines put people at the centre of tourism’s recovery and future development. According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist numbers worldwide are on track to reach around 70% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year. UNWTO recognizes the sector’s responsibility to make sure this recovery is translated into more decent jobs, increased investment in infrastructure, skills and talent for the digital and green transformations and women empowerment.

In a post-pandemic world, renewed governance, multilateralism and international cooperation are the only path to address a world in a poly interconnected crisis stressed the UNWTO Secretary-General. Since the G20 economies represent 80% of global GDP, 60% of the world population and 76% of the tourism GDP worldwide, they are in a position to lead by example, he added.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO – Women’s Empowerment Centre Stage of Tourism’s Restart

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UNWTO - Women's Empowerment Centre Stage of Tourism's Restart - TRAVELINDEXBerlin, Germany, November 11, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The shared progress being made in putting women’s empowerment ‘centre stage’ of tourism’s restart has been presented at the World Travel Market in London.

With the pandemic having made clear the extent to which women and girls everywhere are disproportionately affected by crisis, UNWTO partnered with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and UN Women to put gender equality at the heart of recovery plans. The Center Stage project was piloted in four countries – Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jordan and Mexico – bringing on board both governments and businesses as well as NGOs and community associations.

As part of the initiative, UNWTO conducted a survey on the impact of COVID-19 on tourism employment. The research found that, between March 2020 and September 2021, women in tourism were:

  • 3% more likely to lose their job, 8% more likely to have a pay cut and 8% more likely to have reduced working hours in Costa Rica.
  • 5% more likely to lose their job, 2% more likely to have reduced working hours and 12% more likely to have a pay cut in the Dominican Republic.
  • 4% more likely to lose their job, 8% less likely to have a pay rise and 20% more likely to pay someone to look after their dependents in Jordan.
  • 3% more likely to lose their job, 8% more likely to have a pay cut and 3% more likely to take time off to care for their dependents in Mexico.

The four pilot countries have led the way in putting gender-equality centre stage of their tourism recovery plans and UNWTO is committed to taking this work further and wider

UNWTO’s pioneering ‘Centre Stage’ project was designed to address this, working with 3 governments, 38 businesses and 13 civil society organizations to implement year-long gender action plans.

The project has produced the following results:

  • 702 businesses/entrepreneurs received gender-equality training
  • 712 people received in-person training
  • 526 women received a promotion
  • 100% of participating businesses strengthened sexual harassment prevention
  • 100% of participating businesses committed to ‘equal pay for work of equal value’
  • 1 hour online ‘Gender Equality in Tourism Training’ course on atingi.org
  • Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines for the public sector
  • Gender Inclusive Strategy for tourism businesses
  • An awareness campaign at global scale about gender equality in tourism.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, said: “As we rethink the future of tourism, it must be one in which women and men are equally empowered to take the opportunities that the sector’s restart is bringing. The four pilot countries have led the way in putting gender-equality centre stage of their tourism recovery plans and UNWTO is committed to taking this work further and wider.”

For more information on the report contact: centrestage@unwto.org

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Tourism Transformed at UNWTO Ministers Summit

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London, United Kingdom, November 9, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / “Our job is to create jobs,” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili told tourism sector leaders as education, sustainability, and governance took centre stage at the Ministers’ Summit at the World Travel Market.

This consolidated platform for public and private sector leaders addresses tourism’s most pressing issues and sets the agenda for the years ahead. Held around the theme of ‘Rethinking Tourism’, the 16th Summit gathered Ministers and high-level delegates from 19 countries, alongside business leaders. Reflecting the heightened relevance of tourism for cross-cutting economic and social wellbeing, this year’s edition was the most successful to date.

Opening the event, Secretary-General Pololikashvili emphasized the unique opportunity to transform the sector. However, with UNWTO data showing that global tourism now at around 70% of pre-pandemic levels, “the window of opportunity will not stay open forever. We need to rethink tourism: as a provider of jobs, an economic pillar, and, against the backdrop of COP27, as a solution to the climate emergency”.

Education, jobs key to tourism’s future
We need to rethink tourism: as a provider of jobs, an economic pillar, and, against the backdrop of COP27, as a solution to the climate emergency
Presenting an overview of UNWTO’s work leading the transformation of tourism, Secretary-General Pololikashvili focused on investing in sustainable infrastructure and in people, most notably through quality education and providing decent jobs. Echoing UNWTO’s position, Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director at World Travel Markets, noted that “a post-pandemic world has revealed exciting opportunities, and given us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reconsider tourism and ask ourselves how we can rebuild and better prepare for the future”. Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which co-organizes the Summit with UNWTO, emphasized the “talent, speed and capital” of the private sector.

Global expertise for common challenges
The roundtable brought together Ministers of Tourism from every global region. Each provided unique insights from their own countries. Opening, His Excellency, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stressed putting “sustainability above everything”, also noting his country’s focus on innovation and youth. Highlighting the importance of diversifying national tourism sectors, including through domestic and rural tourism, and creating new products were Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism for the Maldives, the Minister for Portugal, Rita Marques, and the Minister for Egypt, Ahmed Issa.

Picking up on the theme of Rethinking Tourism, the Minister of Tourism for Croatia Nikolina Brnjac, noted that this would require an “evolution” towards measuring success by greater sustainability”. Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism for Mauritius Steven Obeegadoo, emphasized its ability to promote peace, adding “We need to look beyond tourism to rebuild tourism.” Also contributing to discussions were the Ministers from Bahrain, Costa Rica Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

Representing tourism’s vast and broad private sector, Expedia and the Radisson Hotel Group outlined their proactive work achieving greater sustainability, as well as highlighting the sector’s ability to provide decent jobs and lifelong career progression for people everywhere.

Tourism’s unprecedented political relevance
While the Summit promoted diversity of thought, background and experiences, a focus on tourism’s unique power as a driver of sustainability and as a promoter of peace and understanding proved a common theme. High-level participants emphasized that now is the time for the tourism sector to focus more on cooperation rather than competition. Ministers also acknowledged UNWTO Secretary-General Pololikashvili’s call for tourism to be mainstreamed within the political agenda and for greater collaboration between ministries of tourism and those of economy, business and environment.

Trusted data to inform debate

UNWTO’s trusted data provided the context for discussions. Building on the Organization’s status as the leading provider of global tourism intelligence, the World Travel Market will also host the launch of the new Travel Trends Report 2023, produced by UNWTO in partnership with leading broadcaster Euronews.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO & Tourism Authority Panama Promote Innovation Through Community Tourism

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UNWTO & Tourism Authority Panama Promote Innovation Through Community Tourism - TRAVELINDEXPanama City, Panama, November 3, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) have launched the Innovative Community Tourism Experiences Competition to promote innovation through alliances between tour operators and community tourism providers.

With the presence of 30 community leaders, with their colorful traditional outfits that represent the cultural diversity of the different indigenous, Afro and mestizo peoples of Panama, the UNWTO and the ATP shared with the media the official details of the competition.

The Competition will promote innovative and disruptive tourism experiences that encourage the conservation and regeneration of the natural and cultural heritage of Panama and the empowerment of local communities. The categories of the contest will reflect the five Heritage Routes of Panama established in the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan 2020-2025: (1) Bridge of the World Route, (2) Crucible of Cultures Route, (3) Forests of Life Route, (4) Birds in Paradise, (5) Wonders of the Ocean.

During the pandemic, technology and the growing sense of responsibility have created a need to develop new transformative products that are more inclusive and sustainable

Applications to participate will be open until 15 March 2023. The grand winner of the contest will receive: (a) a prize of US$25,000 in infrastructure for the community of the winning experience, (b) a spot to exhibit the experience at the Adventure Travel World Summit 2023 in Japan. The five finalist experiences will receive: (a) a course from the UNWTO Tourism Online Academy, (b) inclusion in the UNWTO Innovation Network, with global visibility through UNWTO social media channels, (c) seed capital of US$2,000 each for the communities, (d) a spot for each of the 5 finalists in Adventure Next Latin America 2023 to market their experiences.

UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “During the pandemic, technology and the growing sense of responsibility have created a need to develop new transformative products that are more inclusive and sustainable, and with this competition we are promoting an effort in this direction.”

The Minister of Tourism of Panama, Iván Eskildsen, highlighted: “Our Sustainable Tourism Master Plan establishes that, in order to achieve true sustainability, local communities must be at the centre of the tourism phenomenon. We value the support of the UNWTO and its commitment to the transformation of our industry.”

As of July 2022, Panama has exceeded the figure of 1 million visitors, more than triple the visitor arrivals in 2021. With this competition being launched together with the UNWTO, Panama seeks not only to get back to the pre-pandemic levels of visitors (it is estimated that the monthly volume will be recovered before the end of the year), but above all to transform the country through tourism, improving the quality of life of local communities, while conserving and regenerating its natural and cultural treasures.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Observatories Guiding Shift Towards More Sustainable & Resilient Tourism

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UNWTO - Observatories Guiding Shift Towards More Sustainable & Resilient Tourism - TRAVELINDEXMadrid, Spain, October 31, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Destinations around the world are reporting significant advances in sustainable tourism, with timely evidence and analytics serving as key tools for transformation as the sector’s recovery continues to get underway.

Meeting in Madrid, the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) welcomed insights from more than 150 experts, with a focus on key topics including the shift towards a circular economy and reducing food waste across the sector. The global network of INSTO Observatories is pioneering and implementing, very often for the first time, catalytic activities designed to help the tourism sector implement sustainable development at the destination level. Together, they are leading the transformation of tourism by building on the principles of participatory approaches including all stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and resilient tourism development.

The Observatories are an excellent tool for guiding and accompany this change and ensure evidence-based decision- making

UNWTO Secretary- General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “To ensure the sustainable transformation of the tourism sector, its development must be seen as a means to achieve the overall prosperity of a local community and the surrounding environment rather than a goal in itself. The Observatories are an excellent tool for guiding and accompany this change and ensure evidence-based decision- making.”

Sustainable production and consumption

At the Global INSTO Meeting, destinations focussed on how a timely and evidence-based approach is helping stimulate circular economy processes that result in using resources such as water and energy more efficiently. In addition, challenges in the environmental and social dimensions and the need for indicators that allow for comparability among destinations were highlighted.

Another topic was the availability of data from a growing variety of data-sources, making it increasingly difficult to process them into useful information needed for an informed decision- and policy- making process. It was agreed that all of these issues will be addressed in the INSTO Network through webinars and technical discussions.

Network keeps growing

Within the framework of the meeting, the Center of Tourism Economics of the State of Sao Paolo in Brazil and the Biscay Tourism Intelligence System in Spain were officially welcomed as new members of the Network. Both destinations have based their commitment to sustainable tourism development on participatory approaches, evidence generation and transparency, all three important requirements for membership.

The meeting was also an opportunity to introduce the five members who have joined since 2021: Mallorca, Barcelona and Málaga from Spain, the Yukon from Canada and Bogotá in Colombia.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Partners with Ojimah for Branding and Innovation in African Tourism

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UNWTO Partners with Ojimah for Branding and Innovation in African Tourism - TOURISMAFRICA.org - TRAVELINDEXArusha, Tanzania, October 19, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO is to work with Ojimah to make positive storytelling and digitalization key drivers of tourism recovery across Africa.

Building on UNWTO Agenda for Africa – Tourism for Inclusive Growth, the new agreement will see the two parties work together around shared goals and priorities. As a multichannel platform with reach across the continent, Ojimah will advocate for ‘Brand Africa’, enhancing the image of the region on the global stage through positive stories from across the tourism sector.

Ojimah will advocate for ‘Brand Africa’, enhancing the image of the region on the global stage through positive stories from across the tourism sector

• For the African branding portal , Connecting Africa to the World, go to TourismAfrica.org

The agreement will also see UNWTO and Ojimah collaborate in supporting the digital transformation of African tourism, with the aim of both enhancing the tourist experience and helping destinations become more competitive and resilient as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic. Additionally, recognizing the sector’s potential to advance sustainable development and growth, the partnership will focus on supporting local communities, including through the creation of jobs.

Looking beyond the short-term recovery of African tourism, the Memorandum of Understanding signed by UNWTO and Ojimah also sets out plans to work with African governments to enhance connectivity across the continent. Priorities include embracing innovation to improve visa facilitation policies, above all through the expansion of e-visas, allowing for smooth and seamless travel between destinations.  To advance all of these goals, the partnership will also focus on capacity building, with key stakeholders from both public and private sectors, to be supported in their shift to digital and branding initiatives.

• For the African branding portal , Connecting Africa to the World, go to TourismAfrica.org

The MoU between UNWTO and Ojimah was signed within the framework of the 65th UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa, Arusha and will remain in force until the end of 2024.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Ministers Agree to Advance Circularity and Climate Action in European Tourism

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UNWTO - Ministers Agree to Advance Circularity and Climate Action in European Tourism - TRAVELINDEXNicosia, Cyprus, October 13, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Ministers of the Environment from across the Pan European region have agreed to promote the transformation of tourism, with key initiatives of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme to serve as their guiding principles.

At the conclusion of the Ninth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and held in Nicosia, Cyprus, delegates adopted a Ministerial Declaration, recognizing the urgent need to ensure the tourism sector “builds back better” from the impacts of the pandemic. Central to this will be accelerating the shift towards a circular tourism economy, while at the same time reducing waste and ensuring the sector meets its climate action responsibilities.

The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, launched by UNWTO and partners at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, a joint initiative from UNWTO and UNEP were both referenced as key initiatives to help guide the transformation of the sector. The One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme co-hosted with UNEP and its Mediterranean Action Plan a side event on “Tourism and Circularity for Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean”, where a  new repository of tools and resources focused on the circular economy and tourism was launched, alongside two new publications from the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative around measurement and procurement produced with the financial support of the Government of France.

‘An opportunity for all of tourism’

I encourage Europe’s Environment Ministers to build synergies with their counterparts in Ministries of Tourism to implement the circular economy in the tourism sector

Addressing the Ministerial Conference, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “For businesses, the circular economy can bring competitive advantages. For destinations, it can build more inclusive local value chains. And for tourists, it’s an opportunity to leave a positive footprint. I encourage Europe’s Environment Ministers to build synergies with their counterparts in Ministries of Tourism to implement the circular economy in the tourism sector.”

Also speaking to the Ministerial Conference, Mario Šiljeg State Secretary for the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Croatia, emphasized the importance of tourism to European economies and highlighted the significant benefits of “embracing innovative approaches, particularly moving away from traditional value chain relations adopting more systemic circular production and consumption patterns”.

Ministers and EU back CE in Tourism

Also in Nicosia, the Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania, Mirela Kumbaro Furxhi, chaired a plenary discussion on Applying Principles of CE in Tourism’, with contributions from Switzerland, Sweden, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ukraine, Germany, Greece, Armenia and the European Union. The EU then delivered a statement in which they too recommended the Glasgow Declaration and Global Tourism Plastics Initiative as tools to advance intentions to make the sector more sustainable.

To conclude the Nicosia meeting, delegates signed a Ministerial Declaration in which they stated: “We will promote the transformation of the tourism sector by implementing programmes and projects oriented to applying circular models in the tourism value chain. Moreover, we will build knowledge based on existing circular tools and initiatives, with a view to enabling further dissemination and outreach across relevant ECE member States. We encourage member States and other stakeholders in a position to do so to consider joining and committing to actions under the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, which unites the tourism sector behind a common vision of circular economy of plastics and the Glasgow Declaration: A Commitment to a Decade of Tourism Climate Action.”

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Unites African Tourism for Growth and Opportunity

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UNWTO Unites African Tourism for Growth and Opportunity - TOURISMAFRICA.org - TRAVELINDEXKilimanjaro, Tanzania, October 10, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The 65th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa brought together around 25 Ministers of Tourism and high-level representatives from 35 countries as well as leaders from the private sector. Taking place in Tanzania just days after UNWTO celebrated World Tourism Day, the Commission meeting embraced that day’s theme of ‘Rethinking Tourism’, with a focus on innovation, branding, jobs and education and partnerships.

But we must look beyond just the numbers and rethink how tourism works so that our sector can deliver on its unique potential to transform lives, drive sustainable growth and provide opportunity everywhere in Africa

Welcoming delegates, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili provided Members with an update of the Organization’s activities and accomplishments in the 12 months since the previous Commission meeting. He said: “Tourism in Africa has a long history of bouncing back. And it has shown its resilience again. Many destinations are reporting strong arrival numbers. But we must look beyond just the numbers and rethink how tourism works so that our sector can deliver on its unique potential to transform lives, drive sustainable growth and provide opportunity everywhere in Africa.”

Tourism recovery underway in Africa

The Regional Commission of Africa meeting was held as tourism’s recovery gets underway across the continent. According to the latest UNWTO data, for the first seven months of the year, international arrivals across Africa were 171% up on 2021 levels, driven largely by regional demand. To help Members capitalize on the sector’s return, and to build greater sustainability and resilience, UNWTO is prioritizing jobs and training alongside greater and more-targeted investment in tourism. On the eve of this week’s meeting, UNWTO launched a set of Investment Guidelines focused on Tanzania, designed to support foreign investment in the country.

Her Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassanof Tanzania warmly welcomed all delegates and UNWTO officials, calling on them to “embrace sustainability” and highlighting the work Tanzania has been undertaking to protect the natural habitats and wildlife that help make it a popular destination while also increasing inclusivity in the sector. Tanzania’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Pindi Hazara Chana, also noted that the country is looking to diversity its tourism sector in order to boost arrival numbers and revenues over the next five years.

Short-term recovery and long-term transformation

Discussions at the the Commission meeting focused on both the immediate and longer-term recovery of tourism across the continent, including through redefining the roadmap of the UNWTO Agenda for Africa 2030. Key topics highlighted by the high-level participants included accelerating tourism for inclusive growth, advancing the sustainability of the sector and the role of public-private partnerships in achieving both of these goals. Alongside this, the heightened relevance of air connectivity, including low-cost air travel within Africa, as well as the pressing need to support small businesses (SMEs) in gaining the digital tools and knowledge they need to compete, was also discussed.

To conclude the meeting, Members voted to hold the 65th session of the UNWTO Commission for Africa in Mauritius.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO at G20: Putting People & Small Enterprises at Centre of Recovery

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UNWTO at G20 Putting People & Small Enterprises at Centre of Recovery - TRAVELINDEXBali, Indonesia, September 30, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO, the G20 Indonesian Presidency and the G20 Tourism Working Group have collaborated over the past year to deliver the G20 Guidelines on Strengthening MSMEs and Communities as Agents of Transformation in Tourism on the occasion of the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting in Bali.

The Guidelines provide guidance for key policies that can create resilient and sustainable MSMEs and communities spanning five key pillars:

  1. Human Capital
  2. Innovation, digitalization and the creative economy
  3. Women and youth empowerment
  4. Climate action, biodiversity conservation, and circularity, and
  5. Policy, governance and investment

They also draw up over 40 cases studies from G20 members and guest countries focused on the promotion of MSMEs and communities

MSMEs and communities, the backbone of our sector, need strong support to be agents a people centred transformation

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

Accelerating positive action

Addressing the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Our sector has now recovered almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels. However, we are falling behind in our efforts to reach the climate action goals of the Paris Agreement. We are also behind in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. “

“Tourism can help us get back on track. But we need to speed up. And we need to scale up. MSMEs and communities, the backbone of our sector, need strong support to be agents a people centred transformation” he added.

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno said “I am truly delighted that the G20 Tourism Working Group is able to adopt the G20 Bali Guidelines. The Guidelines embody a number of policy best practices in the five main lines of actions. These lines of actions are essential to put the holistic wellbeing of our people at the heart of tourism recovery. We do not wish for tourism to just simply rebound, we need it to be better in serving the needs of our communities by creating good jobs, empowering the marginalized and safeguarding our planet, which our guidelines aim for.”

“I earnestly applaud UNWTO as the key institutional partner of our G20 presidency for steadfastly working together with us to continuously improve the Guidelines,” the Minister added.

Skills, inclusion, sustainability and governance

The Guidelines focus among others on:

  • developing targeted policies based on social dialogue and multi-stakeholder collaboration to promote vocational education and training, skills development, and lifelong learning of the tourism workforce by engaging industry and technology partners;
  • stimulating entrepreneurship including through tourism business incubation and promoting the creation of decent jobs in tourism;
  • strengthening linkages between the tourism sector and local communities by encouraging partnership with local suppliers;
  • bridging the innovation gap and promoting responsible innovation;
  • developing guidance for MSMEs to enable them to tap into digitalization, improve their products and boost their productivity through the creative economy;
  • ensuring equality and non-discrimination, with particular attention to young people in vulnerable situations, promoting the application of gender-equality and equal opportunity principles for all youth in tourism including equal remuneration for work of equal value, equal participation and equal treatment;
  • implementing, within respective national policy, more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices; and
  • Improving tourism data, including the use of big data, the implementation of international statistical standards and the development of adequate methodology for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism as evidence-based policy-making as well as facilitating data sharing including through public-private partnerships.

Research developed for the guidelines by UNWTO with G20 countries highlights the need to address challenges for MSMEs of lack of access to finance, lack of access to market intelligence, market uncertainty, the volatility of the workforce, changing consumer trends and needs and low levels of innovation.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

For communities, the most relevant challenges include the uncertainty of the market and changing consumer trends, leakages (revenue generated by tourism in the community which does not stay in the community), lack of education and skills, lack of adequate infrastructure and governance and excessive dependence on tourism.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News