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UNWTO & WHO Build Coalition of Health and Tourism Partners

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UNWTO & WHO Build Coalition of Health and Tourism Partners - HEALTHTRAVELPLANNER.com - TRAVELINDEXGeneva, Switzerland, June 22, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO will work with the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) to strengthen ties between tourism and public health in Europe’s smallest states.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of building more sustainability and resilience into both economies and public health systems. Recognizing the need to learn from the lessons of the crisis, the two UN agencies will further develop their collaboration and strengthen cooperation. In the eighth high-level meeting of the WHO/Europe Small Countries Initiative (SCI), held in Bečići, Montenegro, UNWTO set out the case for promoting health and sustainable tourism in small countries, including the 11 European countries with fewer than 2 million people.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili told the meeting: “COVID-19 showed that any crisis that threatens the health, safety and security of people, communities and the environment is also a risk to tourism itself. I am confident that strong cooperation at all levels will place health high on the tourism agenda. It will make for healthy tourists, healthy communities, a healthy environment, and healthy economies for current and future generations.”

Montenegro Statement on health and tourism

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of building more sustainability and resilience into both economies and public health systems

Organized around the theme “Towards better health and well-being in small countries of the WHO European Region”, the ministerial event focused on two issues currently at the top of the agenda for small countries, namely emergencies (long-term prevention, health system preparedness, response and recovery) and developing healthy and sustainable tourism. On the occasion of the meeting, the “Roadmap towards better health in small countries in the WHO European Region 2022–2025” was presented and the “Montenegro Statement” was unanimously adopted.

The “Montenegro Statement” recognizes that health and tourism are deeply interconnected in the globalized world, and the reopening of travel and tourism is crucial for economic recovery, jobs and livelihoods in small countries. It highlights that cooperation and collaboration are required and welcomes and supports the creation of a coalition of partners on health and tourism, jointly coordinated by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the UNWTO to elaborate the evidence for policy measures and facilitate country dialogue.

Long-standing collaboration 

UNWTO and WHO have kept regular coordination since the outbreak of the pandemic and WHO has participated in the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, created in March 2020 to guide the tourism sector and formulate a sector-wide responseto the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and restart tourism with data-driven decisions based on scientific evidence.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Travel Measures Should Be Based on Risk Assessment, UNWTO and WHO

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Travel Measures Should Be Based on Risk Assessment, UNWTO and WHO

Geneva, Switzerland, February 27, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called for the lifting of travel bans as they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to economic and social stress. The two UN agencies agreed to collaborate on a global trust architecture for recovery of the travel sector.

Over recent days, a growing number of countries around the world have started easing their rules for international arrivals, including the easing of travel bans. These decisions are in line with WHO’s latest recommendations for safe international mobility, which highlight the ineffectiveness of blanket restrictions in controlling virus transmissions. Such a trend is also consistent with UNWTO’s repeated warnings of the great social, economic and development harm of restrictions.

Guided by UNWTO, global tourism has followed WHO advice from the very start of this crisis

UNWTO and WHO: a shared approach

In Geneva, the leaders of UNWTO and WHO agreed on the importance of easing or lifting travel bans. Blanket restrictions should be replaced with risk -based, evidence- informed, context-specific policies.

“Guided by UNWTO, global tourism has followed WHO advice from the very start of this crisis,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili. He underscored the need to “continue to do so, and to open up again, safely and responsibly, and allow tourism to deliver on its unique potential as a driver of recovery and growth”.

Risk and evidence-driven approach

According to the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee on COVID-19, all measures applied to international travellers should be based on “risk assessments – including testing, isolation and vaccinations”. Furthermore, the financial burden of such measures should not be placed on travellers themselves.

“As countries ease travel restrictions, health must remain the key priority. By basing their decisions on evidence and a risk-based approach adapted to their specific context, countries can find the right balance between keeping people safe, protecting livelihoods and the economy, and keeping borders open”, said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Building a global trust architecture

The two UN agencies also stressed the need for clear and consistent rules relating to health and travel. There is a need for building a global trust architecture for societies and economies in the context of the pandemic, and there is a “real opportunity for tourism to contribute to that process, with UNWTO playing a critical role”, said Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme.

Properly managed, tourism has the potential to act as a force for development and opportunity, as highlighted in the sector’s enhanced relevance in the wider United Nations development agenda. Destinations around the world report increased tourist arrival numbers on the back of easing or removing restrictions. This trend offers the potential to kickstart economic recovery and put social development progress back on track.

Among the countries to have revised their travel restrictions is Switzerland, one of Europe’s leading destinations, which welcomed the UNWTO delegation at the beginning of a week of key meetings.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

China’s Tourism Sector Could Reach CNY 11 trillion in 2022

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China’s Tourism Sector Could Reach CNY 11 trillion in 2022 - TRAVELINDEXBeijing, China, February 21, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed China’s Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP could reach CNY 11 trillion this year, just 5.2% short of pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, before the pandemic struck, China’s Travel & Tourism sector’s contributed CNY 11.5 trillion to GDP (11.6% of the country’s economy).

However, in 2020 the pandemic had a major impact on the sector and Travel & Tourism’s contribution to the Chinese economy fell by a staggering 59.9%, to CNY 4.6 trillion.

Latest research from the global tourism body shows that as the national economy begins to recover, the contribution of the sector to the country’s economy and jobs could reach almost pre-pandemic levels this year.

WTTC research shows that if China, with more than 87% of its population already fully inoculated, begins to ease restrictions throughout the year, the sector’s contribution to GDP could reach CNY 11 trillion in 2022, just 5.2% behind pre-pandemic levels.

After a loss of more than 16 million jobs in 2020, when Travel & Tourism businesses in China suffered serious losses due to severe travel restrictions and complete border closures, most of these could be recovered if the country continues to focus on its Travel & Tourism sector and particularly reopening its borders to international visitors.

The sector could recover more than 14 million jobs to reach nearly 81 million jobs in 2022 – just 1.7% below 2019 levels.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “China is a critical player in the global Travel & Tourism sector. It has done well to drive domestic tourism during the pandemic, but international travel has come to a halt. The benefits to opening borders represent a boost in both economic wealth and jobs.

“Our latest research shows 2022 could bring a strong recovery for Travel & Tourism globally, with pent-up demand and vaccination rates driving the recovery of this economically boosting sector.

“Millions of livelihoods depend on a thriving Travel & Tourism sector, but there is still work ahead if we want to achieve a full economic recovery and bring back all the jobs that were lost.”

A look at the Asia Pacific region

WTTC’s research shows the forecast for the Asia Pacific region could be equally positive, with the region’s Travel & Tourism sector also approaching pre-pandemic levels this year.

According to the research, the sector’s contribution to the region’s GDP could reach CNY 20 trillion (USD 2.9 trillion), near pre-pandemic levels, while employment could reach over 190 million jobs, surpassing 2019 figures and providing an additional five million jobs to the sector.

To reach close to pre-pandemic levels this year, WTTC says the Chinese government and governments around the world must continue focussing on the vaccine and booster rollout – allowing fully vaccinated travellers to move freely without the need for testing.

The global tourism body also urges governments to ditch the patchwork of restrictions and enable international travel using digital solutions that allow travellers to prove their status in a fast, simple, and secure way.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Singapore Tourism Board Joins PATA as Newest National Government Member

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Singapore Tourism Board Joins PATA as Newest National Government Member - VisitSinagpore.org - TRAVELINDEXSingapore, Singapore, February 21, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to welcome the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) as its newest government member. STB’s mission is to shape a dynamic tourism landscape for Singapore in partnership with industry and community.

Discover Singapore with VisitSingapore.org, a travel guide to Singapore

PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera said, “I am truly honoured to welcome the Singapore Tourism Board to the PATA family. Their focus on wellness, innovation and sustainability in the post pandemic landscape is in line with PATA’s mission in acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. STB understands that as we look towards recovery, constructive and coordinated cooperation across the region and between all industry stakeholders is critical. I look forward to working with them to support their strategic initiatives and welcome them into the PATA global community.”

Keith Tan, Chief Executive, STB said, “STB looks forward to working with PATA and its members to drive sustainable tourism development and to support the recovery of travel and tourism in the Asia-Pacific. PATA also plays a leadership role in bridging knowledge gaps, fostering cross-cutting cooperation and bringing strategic partners together. We look forward to sharing our experiences and contributing to these efforts.”

The STB is a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. It champions the development of Singapore’s tourism sector, one of the country’s key service sectors and economic pillars, and undertakes the marketing and promotion of Singapore as a tourism destination.

STB is working towards COVID-resilience and recovery for Singapore, as tourism remains an important economic pillar for the country. The Board has focused its efforts to transform the industry by driving innovation, building digital and marketing capabilities and forging partnerships beyond the tourism industry. Together with tourism stakeholders, STB is also reimagining Singapore’s products and experiences with a focus on areas such as health and safety, technology, as well as sustainability.

STB continues to market Singapore’s multi-faceted appeal as a premier business and leisure destination, and offer empowering and customised experiences. The organisation brings the “Passion Made Possible” brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions. This is a unified brand between STB and Economic Development Board (EDB) which will allow the international marketing of Singapore for tourism and business purposes. STB also regularly reviews and updates the tourism regulatory framework to ensure its relevance in the current business environment, while providing support and incentives to catalyse the private sector to take the lead in investing for growth.

Discover Singapore with VisitSingapore.org, a travel guide to Singapore

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, which including government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organisations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

New Projects to Set Scottish Tourism Sector on Road to Net Zero

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New Projects to Set Scottish Tourism Sector on Road to Net Zero - TRAVELINDEXEdinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, February 19, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Travel Foundation is working with VisitScotland and Scotland’s three economic development agencies on a package of COP26 legacy projects that will further establish Scotland’s tourism sector as a global leader in the race to net zero.

As part of the Destination Net Zero programme, funded through the Scottish Government’s Tourism Recovery Programme and developed by the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG), the projects will accelerate climate action within the sector, while sharing the lessons so that destinations worldwide can also benefit.

It follows on from the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, launched at COP26, which both VisitScotland and the Travel Foundation helped draft, and which the latter is now delivering in partnership with the UN’s World Tourism Organisation.

Nationally, the Travel Foundation will work with place-making agency TOPOSOPHY to help Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, VisitScotland and other stakeholders to develop their Destination Net Zero Action Plan. The plan will outline the next phases of support for Scotland’s tourism industry to enable further progress towards net zero.

Regionally, the Travel Foundation will work with VisitScotland and the three enterprise agencies to launch pilot schemes in Glasgow, the Outer Hebrides, and Inverness & Loch Ness to support destinations to develop climate action plans.

Adding a tactical approach, the Travel Foundation and VisitScotland are working with a major tour operator, The Travel Corporation, on a pilot project that will be instrumental in developing a practical sector framework for addressing Scope 3 emissions in tourism – those that occur in the tourism value chain, such as accommodations, ground transport and food production. The Travel Corporation’s Scottish based brands include Haggis Adventures, Highland Explorer Tours and The Skye Inn, in addition to group touring brands such as Contiki, Trafalgar and Insight Vacations and Red Carnation Hotel group, which is opening the 5-star 100 Princes Street in Edinburgh later this year. The Travel Corporation has recently developed an internal carbon calculator that will help with Scope 3 estimates and be integral to setting the group’s carbon reduction targets.

Both pilot projects will be supported by behaviour change experts BehaviorSMART who will recommend innovative ways to “design out” carbon-intensive business practices and customer behaviours.

It is anticipated that the new processes, tools and trainings from each of these projects can be applied across Scotland and will support global efforts, through the Glasgow Declaration initiative, to help travel and tourism organisations plan a pathway towards net zero. The Glasgow Declaration already has support from more than 500 businesses and organisations, including The Travel Corporation which was a launch signatory for the declaration at COP26.

Tourism Minister Ivan McKee said:

“Destination Net Zero will play an important role in helping support Scotland’s tourism sector transition to a low carbon future through globally recognised leadership in responsible, sustainable managed growth.

“Our ambitious climate targets align with our intention for Scotland to be world leading in 21st century tourism as set out in Scotland Outlook 2030, our national tourism strategy.”

Jeremy Sampson, CEO of The Travel Foundation, said:

“Scotland has adopted a leadership role on climate action in tourism, and the work we are doing now will improve understanding of – and hopefully resolve – some of the challenges that all destinations are facing as they plan their transition towards net zero. It is important that other destinations follow in Scotland’s footsteps, and we hope these initiatives will create useful tools, guidance and a way forward.”

Malcolm Roughead OBE, Chief Executive of VisitScotland said:

“As the first national tourism organisation to declare a climate emergency, we have long been committed to leading the development of Scotland as a responsible destination. Climate change is one of the biggest long-term challenges facing the tourism sector. We must take action if we want to preserve and enhance Scotland’s natural and built assets to create an environment which benefits communities, businesses and our visitors. Through the Destination Net Zero programme, we want to support tourism businesses on their journey to net zero. By working together, we can help Scotland become a world-class destination, and the best destination for responsible tourism.”

Shannon Guihan, Chief Sustainability Officer & Head of TreadRight at The Travel Corporation said:

“As we embark on our own ambitious path to reduce our carbon, the need to engage directly with progressive destinations is clear to us. We, as the visitor and Scotland, as the host in this case, can identify practical steps to address our Scope 3 emissions, addressing the challenge from the perspective of supply and demand jointly rather than in our own silos. Our brands such as Haggis Adventures, Highland Explorer Tours, Trafalgar and more are dedicated to operationalising Scotland’s own net zero ambitions.”

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Tourism Raises Its Voice for Peace

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UNWTO - Tourism Raises Its Voice for Peace - TRAVELINDEXMadrid, Spain, February 19, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, people, as well as our whole societies and economies, have suffered enough. We cannot afford for this to continue. We must rebuild and look to the future with hope, not fear.

Peace and mutual understanding are essential ingredients for recovery. Now is the time to work together, and for diplomacy instead of conflict in all parts of the world. We must not allow political tensions to turn into a man-made crisis that will undermine our collective progress.

Tourism is the main bridge for building understanding. It has a unique ability to promote peace between and among peoples everywhere.

Tourism is the main bridge for building understanding. It has a unique ability to promote peace between and among peoples everywhere. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) stands firmly with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his call for all countries to settle disputes through peaceful means and not through conflict, and that they respect international security and justice at all times.

As a part of the UN, giving a voice to people of all regions, backgrounds and nationalities, UNWTO also believes that the spirit of international solidarity and shared values that define not just tourism but also our common humanity will prevail. We also hope that diplomatic efforts to avoid conflict continue and succeed.

Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UK Tourism Sector to Hit £192 billion if Government Keeps Borders Open

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UK Tourism Sector to Hit £192 billion if Government Keeps Borders Open - TRAVELINDEXLondon, United Kingdom, February 18, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / New data from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) shows the UK’s Travel & Tourism sector is recovering, with the country’s GDP predicted to rise to £192 billion, just 19% below pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022.

Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

The global tourism body forecasts a healthy recovery for the UK Travel & Tourism sector if travel restrictions and unnecessary testing protocols remain off limits for the rest of the year.

According to the latest research, it could also mean a net gain in jobs for the sector, with a rise of 1.7% on pre pandemic levels, resulting in some 4.3 million people being employed within Travel & Tourism by the end of the year, 70,000 more than in 2019.

This latest WTTC data will come as welcome news to the country’s battle-scarred Travel & Tourism sector as it looks forward to travel returning.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Travel & Tourism to and from the UK is poised for a full recovery. By the end of this year, we estimate its contribution to national economy could reach £192 billion.

“While the UK was one of the worst hit in terms of the sector’s contribution to GDP, the future is looking positive. But this will depend on the government keeping to its pledge to re-open UK Plc and not reintroducing the chaotic travel restrictions that actually had zero impact on the spread of the virus.”

Last week, research from WTTC revealed that as the world began its recovery from pandemic, the sector’s contribution to both the global economy and employment could reach almost pre-pandemic levels this year.

It forecasts that the global Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to the global economy could reach $8.6 trillion this year, just 6.4% behind pre-pandemic levels.

WTTC has long urged governments to support vaccine and booster rollouts with repealing restrictive and ineffective travel restrictions.

This would help reboot the Travel & Tourism sector to pre-pandemic levels and restore jobs to just 1% below levels last seen in 2019.

Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

The global tourism body also urges governments around the world to remove the patchwork of restrictions, allow the fully vaccinated to travel freely and enable international travel using digital solutions that allow travellers to prove their status in a fast, simple and secure way.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Making Communities Central Part of Tourism’s Future

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UNWTO Making Communities Central Part of Tourism’s Future - TRAVELINDEXSkiathos, Greece, February 16, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO is supporting communities as they prepare to welcome visitors back and realize the potential of tourism to kickstart recovery and drive sustainable and inclusive growth.

As restrictions on travel continue to be steadily eased or lifted, UNWTO is shifting its focus from supporting its Members as they mitigate the impacts of the historic crisis to rethinking tourism’s longer-term role in building resilience and providing opportunity. Through Technical Assistance packages, UNWTO is on the ground in every global region.

On the ground in Greece

Illustrating UNWTO’s commitment to working with communities themselves to rethink and restart tourism, a new partnership with the Municipality of Skiathos is advancing people-first policies. For decades, tourism has been a pillar of economic growth and opportunity for the residents of the island, one of Europe’s leading destinations. Now, as the sector restarts and recovers from the impacts of the pandemic, UNWTO is working alongside local authorities on a package of technical advice and practical assistance.

In the immediate term, UNWTO experts will work with the Municipality to assess the marketing strategy of the island and recommend adaptations and necessary improvements, with a particular emphasis on the destination’s commitment to using tourism as a driver of sustainable development.  At the same time, and in order to ensure the sector works for everyone on Skiathos, UNWTO will also study local residents’ views on tourism and assess how they can be more involved in tourism planning and development.

This represents the first Technical Assistance package developed by UNWTO in Greece. The Mayor of Skiathos Thodoris Tzoumas welcomed the initiative as a “significant collaboration regarding tourism recovery in Skiathos following pandemic. At present, we are waiting for the initiation of the collaboration. With the synergy and support from the leading bodies of the world and our country when it comes to tourism, we are certain that we will manage to achieve the best results to everyone’s benefit”.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Transformation Towards Tourism of the Future – Declaration Signed in Panama

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Transformation Towards Tourism of the Future – Declaration Signed in Panama - TRAVELINDEXPanama City, Panama, February 16, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / On February 9, six tourism ministers and the regional tourism authorities, along with the executives of Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), held a roundtable in Panama and co-signed the Declaration, “Transforming towards the Tourism of the Future.”

While the host country Panama welcomes buyers from eight countries to the ATTA event, Latin American Adventure Next held in Panama City, Iván Eskildsen, Minister of Tourism of Panama extended the invitations to the regional ministers to discuss tourism sector collaboration. Eskildsen’s team initiated the declaration idea and prepared the draft. Following a two-hour, round-table discussion, the ministers all agreed to support the Declaration, which received 11 signatures.

The support was given by the ministers of tourism of Panama (Iván Eskildsen), Colombia (Ricardo Galindo), Costa Rica (Gustavo Alvarado), Ecuador (Niels Olsen), Guatemala (Alejandro De León) and Honduras (Luis Guillermo Chévez), joined by the high authorities of Brazil (Bruno Wending, Secretary of Tourism, Mato Grosso do Sul), Panama (Fernando Fondevila, Executive Director, PROMTUR) and Jordan (Malia Asfour, Director of North America), as well as Shannon Stowell, ATTA CEO, and Gabi Stowell, ATTA Regional Director for Latin America & Caribbean.

The Declaration is in response to a call by UNWTO for the public and private sectors to reconsider the development of the industry as it recovers. UNWTO has identified this time as an opportunity to accelerate tourism’s shift towards greater sustainability.

When asked what prompted him to lead this regional collaborative initiative, Eskildsen says, “As human beings, we need to improve the way we do things in relation to the planet, to people and to our countries. Latin America has amazing similarities such as biodiversity and cultures. We are with the type of mindset: If we can share experiences to improve our wellbeing in our region, then it’s also good for the individual countries. What is good for the beehive, would benefit individual bees, like Marcus Aurelius of Roma said. Our Declaration draft received support from all ministers, who are also supporters of better ideas and more visionary strategies.”

Eskildsen states that Panama will continue to implement its blueprint, the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan approved by the Cabinet and the President. Among many strategies, Panama will continue to work on innovative tourism experiences with the private sector, to showcase and to get the interests of the international markets.

Haybina Hao reporting from Panama City.

Haybina is an international travel industry reporter and has been reporting in both Chinese and English. Linkedin


DECLARATION:  TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS THE TOURISM OF THE FUTURE

WE AGREE

that the future of tourism is collaborative, bringing together the ancestral wisdom of local and indigenous communities with pioneering scientific and economic knowledge in service to long-term stewardship of integrated ecosystems.

WE BELIEVE

the future of tourism is regenerative.  It is our opportunity to rethink the way we interact with nature and people to regenerate invaluable ancestral knowledge in order to face the current anthropogenic climate crisis.

WE RECOGNIZE

the future of tourism is green and blue. It is imperative that our industry protect and regenerate the last wild places and carbon sinks in both land and ocean.

WE ARE COMMITTED

to the transformation towards a carbon-neutral and more socially resilient tourism economy – including new business models through digitalization – thus providing the opportunity to ensure a fair distribution of its benefits and contributing to a global economic reactivation.

Signed in Panama City, the 9th of February, 2022.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Serbia Joins Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution Network

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Serbia Joins Centre for Fourth Industrial Revolution Network - TRAVELINDEX

Belgrade, Serbia, February 11, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Republic of Serbia and the World Economic Forum have established a Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network in Serbia (C4IR Serbia). The Centre will be an autonomous non-for-profit organisation, leading on policy and governance for emerging technologies.

The document was signed by Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum, and Mihailo Jovanović, Director, Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment, Government of the Republic of Serbia.

“The strong partnership between the Republic of Serbia and the World Economic Forum has reached a new level and I am very proud that today we are launching a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Serbia (C4IR Serbia). This Centre is another step towards digitalization as Serbia’s top priority. It will help us adopt the most cutting edge policies and solutions developed with partners from all over the world. Key areas of Serbia’s C4IR will be AI and Bioengineering – two areas already recognized in Serbia as critical for future economic growth. Our close cooperation with the World Economic Forum also contributes to Serbia’s international recognition as a global hub for research and development in new technologies,” said Ana Brnabić, Prime Minister of Serbia.

“I am delighted to see that Serbia has joined the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network,” said Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum. “Innovation is the key to fulfilling our shared priorities of sustainability, equity, and resilience. The new Centre in Serbia will join a growing platform as a focal point for advancing innovation and industrial transformation. ”

C4IR Serbia will be formed inside the Government Office for IT and eGovernment, a top-level Government institution directly reporting to the Prime Minister.

The ecosystem developed around the Center will leverage existing infrastructure such as the national platforms for AI development, the Center for Genome Sequencing, and a planned bioeconomy hub – BIO4 Campus – to create solutions that benefit Serbian citizens.

The Center will also engage with critical national stakeholders, like the National AI Institute and Institute for Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, other Government institutions, and the private sector.

An arena for public-private cooperation on Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has led to technological breakthroughs in many fields, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, IoT and robotics, 3D printing, nanotechnology, and biotechnology, among others.

The Forum’s global network is a platform for multi-stakeholder collaboration bringing together public and private sectors to maximize technological benefits to society while minimizing the risks associated with 4IR technologies.

C4IR Serbia is the 16th centre to join a network that spans 4 continents.

First Fourth Industrial Revolution Centre in the region

C4IR Serbia will be a platform through which the country will shape the development of local and national 4IR strategies and contributes to the global trajectory of these technologies. It is the first 4IR Centre in the Balkan region. It will become a hub of expertise to co-design and pilot future-focused policy frameworks that enable the development and deployment of ethical technology in the region and the world.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News