La visión de la OMT sobre la recuperación del turismo despues de la crisis 2009

C O N T E N T S

UNWTO: Committed to Tourism, Travel and the Millennium Development Goals2

VIEWPOINT ■

Facing Up to the Challenges

TOURISM & THE G20 ■

Travel and Tourism and the New G20 Paradigm

GUEST OPINION ■

The World Economy Takes an Unpaid Vacation

RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS ■

Stimulus Measures for Tourism Recovery

Stimulus Measures for Tourism Recovery - Current Status

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM ■

Tourism Matters

Creating Employment andstimulating the Economy

SPORT & TOURISM ■

UNWTO Africa 2010 Programme

UNWTO CALENDAR 2009 ■

RISK & CRISIS MANAGEMENT ■

Quietly Preparing

WORLD TOURISM DAY ■

WTD 2009: Tourism Celebrating Diversity

WTD 2008: Photo Competition

GREEN ECONOMY ■

UNWTO calls on Tourism Leaders to join the Green Economy

3

4-5

6

7

8-9

10

11

12

12

13

14

15

16

Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Council:

Ambika Soni, Minister of Tourism, India

Secretary-General ad interim:

Taleb Rifai

Assistant Secretary-General, Spokesperson:

Geoffrey Lipman

Director of Programme and Coordination:

Eugenio Yunis

Director of Administration: José García Blanch

Editorial Board:

Geoffrey Lipman, Marcelo Risi

Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Communications Officer: Alla Peressolova

Design: Graforama (Madrid)

Photographs:

Cover: Rocky Road, by KOGO

(commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uli_Biaho_Tower.jpg)

Page 4, Gordon brown and Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva,

by Ricardo Stuckert.

Page 11, Pedro Ortún (fbs-research.com)

Page 16, Solar Panels by Fernando Tomás

The World Tourism Organization, a United Nations specialized agency, is the

leading international organization with the decisive and central role in world

tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical

source of tourism know-how. Its membership includes 154 countries, seven territories and more than 370

Affiliate Members representing local government, tourism associations and private enterprise.

V I E W P O I N T

UNWTO: Committed to Tourism, Travel and the Millennium Development Goals 3

As this edition of UNWTO News goes intoprint the World Health Organization(WHO) has alerted us that Influenza A(H1N1) represents a pandemic threat.

As such influenza A is starting to affect tourism -our sector has been the focus of public attentionfrom the beginning.

Over the past three years UNWTO has beenpreparing for this kind of situation. Today, the ded-icated Risk and Crisis Management Section has

increased our capacity for response and industry support, and sos.travel has been launched as theone-stop information portal for emergency information for the travel industry and ultimately for travellers.Furthermore, the Tourism Emergency Response Network (TERN) enables the Travel Community to workclosely with WHO, ensuring that the best and most accurate advice to travellers is provided.

This pandemic threat emerges when we are only just starting to assess how to deal with the deepestrecession of the past half century, whilst keeping on track with our climate and poverty response.

In that context, the International Monetary Fund has recently increased the global economic lossesexpected from the crisis, illustrating “the depth of the worldwide economic upheaval”.

Tourism is not immune from these developments and UNWTO has increased its efforts to position theeconomic stimulus potential of tourism within the G20 initiative and the transformation towards aGreen Economy.

UNWTO – together with its Member States and private sector affiliates - is here to serve the interna-tional community in its broadest sense.

Taleb Rifai

Secretary-General ad interim

Facing Upto theChallenges

TO U R I S M & T H E G 2 0


Due to its strong economic multipliereffect as a sector dominated by smalland medium enterprises, tourism andtravel, if properly encouraged, can

play a more important role in economic stimu-lus and building consumer confidence than isgenerally recognized. Travel fuels businessgrowth, makes entertainment possible and sus-tains rural destinations. It also strengthenstrade by boosting income for the poorest coun-tries as well as for global suppliers.

This idea was at the centre of UNWTO’ s open

message delivered to the G20 ahead of itsLondon meeting (2-3 April).

“The numbers speak for themselves: Tourism rep-resents some 5% of GDP and 6% of jobs in G20countries alone. Global tourism services exportsamount to US$ 3 billion per day, representing onethird of global services exports. Tourism is further-more the main growth and trade driver for theworld’s poorest countries”, said UNWTOSecretary-General a.i., Taleb Rifai. “What we needis recognition of the value of travel and mostimportantly its capacity to generate jobs”.

The combination of the crisis, the systemicimperatives of climate-change response, jobcreation and poverty alleviation, translate intothe biggest challenge of the past half-century.This situation puts unrelenting pressure on cus-tomers, employees and markets, driving notonly the tourism industry to radically alter exist-ing policies and practices.

For its part UNWTO has pledged to continue tomonitor market behaviour and promote bestpractices; maintain its leadership in tourismpolicy and governance; and reinforce tourismas a key engine for employment, sustainablegrowth and infrastructure creation. In order toachieve these objectives UNWTO is develop-ing a Roadmap for Recovery with anemphasis on both stimulus and the GreenEconomy. With regards to stimulus, theResilience Committee gathers market informa-tion, increases responsiveness and sharesgood practice initiatives (see page 7). As forthe Green Economy, work is being under-taken in conjunction with UN Environment

Tourism

■ can play an important role in coordinated economic stimulus,

■ represents the largest common development denominator for poor states,

■ is a huge percentage of services trade,

■ can be a leader in the Green Economy.

Travel and Tourism andthe New G20 Paradigm

“”

This is a great industry, millionsof jobs depend on it and it creates ahuge amount of wealth for ourcountry and I believe it can be evengreater in the future

Gordon Brown, UK Prime Minister

“”

Tourism is the most effective and leastexpensive way to bring about socialinclusion. It is an activity that can generatework for millions of adolescents. Tourism isthe tool to restore hope to these people

Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva,

President of Brazil

TO U R I S M & T H E G 2 0


Encouraging domestic travel is good for con-sumer confidence; international travel has theadded value of strengthening trade flows.Action to boost trade promotion, simplify regu-lation, build infrastructure and rationalise taxes,in turn incites companies to invest, innovateand stimulate demand (see page 12). This kindof public–private sector collaboration should bestrongly commended within and between allstates, as it can help build resilience and buoy-ancy across economies.

China’s potentialfor leadership

Asian counties have been amongst the first torespond to the crisis, by including tourism intheir stimulus programs - with an array of meas-ures. China’s tourism sector can become amodel for other nations and a world leader.

According to the Chinese National TourismAdministration, their actions to counter thefinancial crisis, such as support for consump-

tion, would help global tourism.

European tourism activeagainst the crisis

European destinations are taking measures tomitigate the negative impact of the economicsituation on tourism, expected to last until2010. Measures already implemented rangefrom promotional and fiscal incentives to creditfacilitation.

While international tourism worldwide is project-ed to stagnate or even decline by 2%,UNWTO’s European Members expect arrivalsto drop by 3%. Nearby markets might respondbetter to stimulus packages which have toadapt to changing demand patterns. Theydemand to reinforce international cooperationand to avoid protectionist measures.

Europe is the world’s leading international touristdestination: 500 million arrivals (53% of theworld’s total) generating US$ 434 billion a year.

Travel and tourism in stimulus programmes

Programme (UNEP) and the WorldMeteorological Organization (WMO) to create amulti-stakeholder, climate response driven by acontinuous series of global and regionaltourism ministerial meetings (see page 16).

Over the last few decades, the tourism industry

has experienced various setbacks, and facedsevere natural and man-made crisis. Through itall, tourism demonstrated a remarkableresilience and always came out stronger andhealthier. Indeed, resilience has become syn-onymous with travel and tourism. This juncture,however, seems to be different. This crisis is

truly global and its parameters are unclear. Weneed a different mindset.

In the words of Talib Rifai; ‘If ever there was atime get this message out loud and clear, it isnow, as we meet at a time of overriding globaluncertainty but also of immense possibility’.

As world leaders’ grapple with today’s unprecedented global eco-nomic conditions we want to stress the potential for tourism and trav-el to support short term stimulus actions as well as longer term trans-formation to a green economy, coherent with development and cli-mate imperatives.

Several G20 states have already included travel in their own stimulusprogrammes. Encouraging domestic travel is good for consumer con-fidence; international travel has the added value of strengtheningtrade flows. Action to boost trade promotion, simplify regulation, buildinfrastructure and rationalise taxes, in turn incites companies to invest,innovate and stimulate demand. This kind of public – private sectorcollaboration should be strongly advanced within and between allstates – it will help build resilience and buoyancy across economies.

Tourism is a primary vehicle for jobcreation and economic regeneration

Tourism currently drives an estimated 6% of jobs in G20 economies witha strong multiplier effect on related services, manufacturing and agricul-ture, which depend on travel demand. It is one of the largest employ-ment sectors in most countries and a fast entry vehicle into the work-

force for young people and women in urban and rural communities.

Tourism and travel represents some 5% of GDP of G20 countries and27% of their services exports. It is even more significant for the world’spoorest countries where it is a mainstay of their economies, a key factorin employment and trade, as well as a vital lifeline for their development.

Tourism and Travel can be a leaderin the shift towards a Green Economy

Accounting for some 5% of carbon emissions, the sector is committedto respond to climate change by adaptation, mitigation and new tech-nology. Better conservation, reduced congestion, renewable energy,clean biofuels, climate proofing of buildings, as well as green con-sumer awareness and staff training are clear opportunities for hospital-ity and transport companies to move to a more sustainable economy.

Encouraging travel will strengthen two-way trade - promotingessential export income for the poorest countries and improvingperformance of global suppliers who are largely from G20 mem-ber states. It will support consumer and business confidence,create jobs and put a green economy into action.

Tourism and the G20 Summit - A Message from UNWTO


G U E S T O P I N I O N

The decline in growth has beenaccompanied by rising unemploy-ment and especially large declinesin international trade and capital

flows; government fiscal positions havedeteriorated significantly. No region hasescaped it, nor has any sector.

Travel to a large degree is discretionary andtherefore can easily be cancelled or post-poned, so the tourism sector is, and willcontinue over the next year, to be especial-ly impacted. It is important during these dif-ficult times for all countries and businessassociations to try to develop cooperativeand constructive approaches towardsaddressing the crisis and minimizing itsimpacts.

Tourism policy, as industrial policy general-ly, should remain focused on long-termobjectives of making itself environmentallysustainable, improving the lives and work-ing conditions of its workers and furthercontributing to the communities in which itoperates. There are any number of short-sighted policies that can appear reasonablein isolation, but when implemented broadlycan initiate a downward cycle that proves tobe counter productive for all and can take along time to undo; this is a journey to avoid.

The implications of this crisis and accompa-nying downturn will be fundamentally differ-ent from the others experienced over thelast half century. Those downturns wereconsidered part of the normal macroeco-

The global economy is currently in the midst of its worst downturn

since the Second World War.

nomic cycle, and although governmentsoften attempted to provide some stimulus topromote recovery, they did not produce fun-damental institutional changes. This time isdifferent; in the coming year there will be amajor overhaul of both national and inter-governmental financial institutions, includ-ing their regulatory bodies, and even thearchitecture of the world’s international mon-etary system is likely to be substantiallyreformed.

The current economic situation in the springof 2009 appears to have plateaued; therapid falls in output, trade and financialflows that occurred in the last quarter of2008 and the first of 2009 appear to havemitigated. It remains uncertain whether thiswill be a temporary landing to be followedby another downward plunge as was thecase with the stability experienced in thesummer of 2008, or whether this representsthe bottom from which a recovery canbegin.

Given the very aggressive macroeconomicpolicy response of China and the UnitedStates, these regions are likely to lead theworld recovery. Forecasts suggest thatgrowth will remain reasonable in Chinathroughout 2009 and will begin to turn posi-tive in the US in the second half of the year.Europe which has lagged in its policyresponse to the crisis may have to wait untilearly 2010 for its recovery. The long-run out-look for tourism is bright because it providesone of life’s greatest enjoyments.

The World EconomyTakes an Unpaid Vacation

Robert C. ShelburneChief Economist. United NationsEconomic Commission for Europe


R E S P O N D I N G TO T H E C R I S I S

Stimulus Measuresfor Tourism Recovery

Tourism is vital due to its strong multi-plier effect on related services suchas manufacturing and agriculture,which depend on tourism induced

demand. The industry is also one of thelargest job creators and export generators inmany countries. Thus, any measure to facili-tate or promote travel, simplify regulation,build infrastructure or rationalize taxes willnot only impact directly on the sector, butcould also play a key role in economic revival- especially in developing countries.

UNWTO recently published an InitialAssessment on Tourism and Economic Stimuluscovering around 50 countries worldwide. Themeasures implemented by the various countriesinclude fiscal and monetary incentives, taxrebates, infrastructure development andenhancement, travel facilitation measures,human resource training and increased market-ing and promotion, especially in domestic mar-kets (see pages 8 and 9).

The report is part of the UNWTO programme inthe area of response to the economic crisis andsupport to its Members, namely in the compo-nent of stimulus. It details schemes such asChina’s 1 billion RMB investment in infrastruc-ture, Morocco’s new promotional campaign, theDutch governments decision to revoke airportdeparture tax, France’s decrease of VAT inrestaurants, Argentina’s soft credit line for hotelrefurbishment as well as several marketingcampaigns and public-private-partnership(PPP’s) schemes. Some countries havelaunched highly innovative programmes suchas Australia’s ‘No Leave, No Life Program’aimed at encouraging Australian workers totake advantage of the 123 million days of stock-piled annual leave.

In response to a UNWTO survey severalcountries outlined their national strategies withregards to tourism recovery, among others:

■ Thailand has applied various measuresincluding a visa waiver scheme, a tempo-rary exemption from business tax forhotels and a reduction of landing andparking fees at airports. In additionThailand has sought to lighten the burdenon the industry through its Micro Creditscheme which seeks to make credit read-ily available to actors within the sector byoffering generous interest rates.

■ On the other side of the globe Jamaica hasannounced a stimulus package whichmakes concessionary loans available to thetourism sector thus easing any cash-flowproblems resulting from the crisis. On top ofthis general consumption tax paid by thesector has been temporarily reduced.

■ European countries have put in place sev-eral stimulus measures: Italy, France andSpain have formed a marketing partner-ship which seeks to attract tourists fromemerging markets and many others haveimplemented fiscal and monetary meas-ures to support and stimulate the sector.

As UNWTO stressed on the occasion of theG20 Summit in London, tourism should beincluded as a key component of economicstimulus programmes and the long termtransformation to the Green Economy (seepages 4 and 5).

Tourism can and will play a big part in bounc-ing back from recession.

The full document, as well as information on stim-ulus packages for the tourism sector by country,is available at www.UNWTO.org/trc.

In light of the economic crisis, countries across the globe have

recognized the importance of tourism to the economy and have

acted swiftly in developing stimulus measures to sustain demand,

support tourism businesses and maintain employment.



Stimulus Measures for Tourism

Stimulus measures have been undertaken inthe following categories:

■ Fiscal: Reduction, suspension or control ofimposing extra taxation in areas such astransport, accommodation and catering; taxbreaks and public investment.

■ Monetary: Ease of credit access throughspecial schemes for tourism businesses i.e.lower interest rates.

■ Travel facilitation: Elimination of obsta-cles to travel through visa wavering or can-cellation/reduction of visa fees.

■ Marketing: Increased promotional budg-ets and activities, namely with a strategicfocus on nearby and domestic markets asthese are expected to be more resilient.

REGIONS FISCAL MARKETING MONETARY

EUROPEBulgaria X XCroatia X XCyprus X X XGermany X X XHungary X XIsrael XItaly X XNorway X XPortugal X X XAMERICASArgentina X X XBahamas X X XBarbados X XBolivia X XCanada X XJamaica X XNicaragua X X XEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFICAustralia XBrunei Darussalam XCambodia X XChina X X XHong-Kong X X XIndonesia XJapan XMacao (China) X X XMalaysia X XPhilippines X XRepublic of Korea X XSingapore X XThailand X X XVietnam X X XSOUTH ASIABhutan X XIndia X X XIran, Islamic Republic of X XNepal X XPakistan X X XSri Lanka X XMIDDLE EASTEgypt X XJordan X XOman XQatar XSaudi Arabia X X XSyria Arab Republic X XYemen XAFRICAMorocco X XSouth Africa X XTunisia X X

The report Initial Assessment on Tourism and Economic Stimulus includes information on over 50 countries.

It is part of an ongoing process of collecting, monitoring and evaluating response actions and measures undertaken

by governments to address the impact of the crisis on tourism.

STIMULUS ACTIONS FOR TOURISM



Recovery - Current Status■ Human resources: Development of

training activities or financial support tocompanies in order to preserve jobs.

■ Public-private partnerships (PPPs):Implementation of strong public-privatepartnerships in areas such as market moni-toring and follow up and special promotionand sales packages.

■ Transnational cooperation: Schemesfor regional and multi-destination promotionand product development.

■ Measures relevant to the GreenEconomy: Special supporting systems forlow-carbon energy saving accommodation,funding of eco-friendly tourism infrastructureand revitalizing transportation aimed at theuse of renewable energy or organizing zeroenergy events like cycling festivals andwalking marathons.

The current report will be updated on a month-ly basis whilst information on individual coun-tries will be updated on a weekly basis, avail-able on www.UNWTO.org/trc.

Countries not featured and wishing tocontribute are welcome to contact us:[email protected].

HUMANPPP´S

TRANSNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRAVELRESOURCES COOPERATION MEASURES FACILITATION

XX

XX X

X XX X

XX

XX

X X XX

X

XX

X XX

X X XX X

XX X

X XX X XX X XX X XX X

XXX X

X XX X X X

X XX XX

X X XX

XX

X

RECOVERY BY REGION & COUNTRY

E C O N O M I C I M PA C T O F TO U R I S M


Tourism MattersMany governments and decision makers still have some way to go before they recognize tourism as a sector which

matters beyond the holiday season. This mirrors one of the main challenges UNWTO has been facing with increasing

success: raising the profile of tourism in both political and public perception.

UNWTO News offers three different views – a tourism administration, the private sector and a multi-nation angle - on

why tourism should be mainstreamed into general and development policy.

Zoheir GarranahEgyptian Minister of Tourism

“[Many governments] don’t realise how impor-tant tourism is to their own economy. In Egypt itrepresents 11.3% of our GDP, 12.6% of ourwork force, 19% of the total funds going into thecountry – that’s how important it is and what itcontributes to welfare and prosperity.

This industry is resilient, it has proven over timehow resilient it is – this industry is very strong byits people and even though it will be a difficult’09 it is not doomsday – we are going to contin-ue doing our best’.

From day one there has been full cooperationbetween us and the private sector, we have con-tributed a lot in co-marketing campaigns, it hasproven that we have taken the right path throughthe measures and stimulus packages we haveimplemented and whilst we were looking at solv-ing today’s problems we never lost our focus onthe future. We want long term solutions.Thank you.”

Pedro OrtúnDirector, Directorate-Generalfor Enterprise and Industry,European Commission

“I believe the first task is for all industry stake-holders - public, national governments, region-al authorities and the European tourism min-istries - to analyse the current situation; thedemand prospects, supply implications andafter each national government could – andshould – take necessary measures.

The industry should come to us with a minimumassessment and request measures. We willmake contact with the industry ourselves andwe will build up a common assessment whichthe European Commission will release nextautumn.

In some Member States the tourism industryhas asked for stimulus measures but not at EUlevel to promote EU measures. The private sec-tor has to make its own assessment of the situ-ation – as other economic branches have done– the tourism industry is perhaps not organisedenough at a national or EU level.”

Jürgen RingbeckSenior Vice President - Booze and Co

“It is very sad to see how weak political supportfor the sector is, particularly in more developedcountries. It is not really understood that wehave here the key platform to connect the worldand transfer finances from developed to devel-oping countries and also transfer ideas andknowledge which is a very important objective– not really matched by the way in which gov-ernments are dealing with the sector at themoment.

What the sector can do is what the mid sizedcompanies are doing in Germany; lobby on theglobal stage. The tourism sector is very muchlike a mid sized sector – it does not have a bigvoice. They have to set up a stronger marketingmachine to really get more influence at a globallevel.”

E C O N O M I C I M PA C T O F TO U R I S M


Creating Employment andstimulating the EconomyTourism plays a crucial role in the creation of employment, which is why the sector should be given special consideration

during the current economic crisis. While acting upon the hurdles posed by the global recession, the key challenges are to

establish sustainable policies to enhance both the quantity and quality of employment in the tourism industry.

Tourism as a reliable tool for sustainablejob creation was at the centre of the 5th

UNWTO International Conference onTourism Statistics (Bali, Indonesia, 30

March-2 April).

“Tourism means jobs – a phrase that in the cur-rent climate might become the employmentmantra of a new generation. The contribution ofthis sector to the economies of countries can-not be over-emphasized. It is the world'slargest industry and every year it pumps bil-lions of dollars into some of the poorest coun-tries in the world. It reduces poverty, builds newroads, airports, hotels and hospitals,” saidUNWTO Secretary-General a.i., Taleb Rifai, inhis opening address.

Coinciding with current global stimulus efforts,the participants stressed the importance ofpublic-private cooperation, particularly in theframework of advancing the Decent WorkAgenda promoted by the International LabourOrganization (ILO, a key partner of UNWTOwithin the UN family).

The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) is the tech-nical and policy tool designed for this end, apowerful brand which should be carefullydeveloped and applied for the measurement oftourism’s contribution to developed and devel-oping economies alike.

UNWTO is committed to offer the necessarytechnical assistance to its Member States toenable them to measure how many jobstourism generates in the economy, tourism’scontribution to GDP, and tourism’s ranking incomparison with other sectors of the economy.

The TSA further underscores the potential oftourism and travel in any stimulus package andthe shift towards a green economy, as stated inan open message by UNWTO to the G20.

Mr. Rifai added that “In many countries, tourismhas suffered from a lack of political and popu-lar support because its true economic signifi-cance has often been underestimated. Nowthere is increasing awareness of tourism’s role

Tourism Satellite Account

A Satellite Account is a term developed by the United Nations tomeasure the size of economic sectors that are not defined as indus-tries in national accounts. Tourism is an amalgam of industries suchas transportation, accommodation, food and beverage services,recreation and entertainment and travel agencies. The full potential ofthe TSA is reflected in its broad field of technical and policy applications,providing decision-makers with a tool for:

• policy making;• reliable data on the impact of tourism on the economy and on employment;• measuring domestic and non-resident tourism and the associated employment;• comparisons with other economic sectors; and, in the future,• international comparisons.

450 participants from 70 countries and nine international organizations took part in the Conference, which was jointly

organized by UNWTO and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, with the support of the UN

Statistics Division (UNSD), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the ILO and the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

http://www.UNWTO.org/statistics/

as a productive activity and its potential to gen-erate employment, government income andother benefits whether directly or throughinduced effects in the economy. This is increas-ingly important due to the role tourism can playin combating the current crisis.”

More than many other economic sectors,tourism relies on people for its successfuldevelopment and management. Men andwomen operating tourism services are indeed

the core element of these industries.Collaterally, this labour intensive sector, whenproperly developed and managed, can be oneof the major pillars of the local economy ofmany destinations.

Therefore the Bali Statement on TourismStatistics and Employment establishes prelimi-nary guidelines for the proper inclusion of theemployment issue in tourism policies and for itsmeasurement.


■ MAY7-8 Eighty-fifth session of the Executive Council

Bamako (Mali)

14-22 PracticumHeadquarters, Madrid

21 Meeting of the Core Group of the Tourism ResilienceCommitteeCairo (Egypt)

26 Fifteenth meeting of the Education and Science CouncilHeadquarters, Madrid

27-28 2009 Ulysses Prize and Awards and Ulysses Conferenceon Innovation in Tourism EducationHeadquarters, Madrid

■ JUNE5 IAST Meeting

Headquarters, Madrid

18-19 Eighth meeting of the World Committee on Tourism EthicsSan José (Costa Rica)

■ SEPTEMBER27 World Tourism Day

Accra (Ghana)

■ OCTOBER2-9 Eighteenth session of the General Assembly

Astana (Kazakhstan)

■ DECEMBER14-16 Second Conference on Religious and Cultural Tourism

Nara (Japan)

UNWTO CALENDAR 2009

S P O RT & TO U R I S M

UNWTO Africa 2010 ProgrammeTourism and sport are two of the

undisputed driving forces behind

modern society. They also share

the responsibility of representing

the positive aspects of

globalization through their

common objectives - closer

cultural understanding, peace

between nations and sustainable

development of destinations.

Sporting activities have become animportant part of today’s tourism sup-ply. This is the potential of the 2010World Cup in South Africa, and the

2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

In this context, UNWTO held the seminar “Howcan African destinations make the most out of2010” (Yaoundé, Cameroun, 16-17 April 2009)within the framework of the 48th meeting of theUNWTO Commission for Africa.

The event provided the opportunity to listen toand debate with leading international expertsin the field of tourism marketing, as well as withrepresentatives of different African countrieson the challenges and opportunities for thetourism sector in the framework of the 2010FIFA World Cup.

UNWTO presented its web initiative www.vis-itafrica.travel, which gained the full support ofthe participants, including the African Ministersresponsible for tourism present at the event.This initiative will provide a unique platform forAfrican countries to present their destinationsand tourism assets to a global audience andhence ultimately to boost tourism across Africathrough the continent’s first World Cup.

Visiatafrica.travel has a unique characteristic,namely it is also designed to provide capacitybuilding – education, risk management, greentransformation, competitiveness and quality.The platform is provided by Affiliate MemberIXeo and is part of the UNWTO / Microsoft pub-lic-private-partnership.

The platform is expected to be up and runningfrom July 2009.

UNWTO will assist in building up critical com-plementary elements for the success of thisendeavour, including image building, promo-tion, and human resources development forAfrican countries getting ready to seize thetourism opportunities presented by thesemajor sporting events.

www.visitafrica.travel

R I S K & C R I S I S M A N A G E M E N T

Quietly Preparing

From a health viewpoint, UNWTOdefers always to the World HealthOrganization (WHO) which has thelead in the UN system on this issue.

Together with the International Civil AviationOrganization (ICAO), UNWTO has a direct lineto express tourism and travel interests.

UNWTO Preparedness

• A dedicated risk and Crisis Management Section (RCM).

• Flu contacts in every Member State.

• Regional simulation exercises and ongoing guidance material.

• Creation and management of TERN (Tourism Emergency Response Network) with some20 peak industry organizations engaged.

• Launch of sos.travel as a one-stop information portal for emergency information for thetravel industry and ultimately for travellers.

• Our travel media support group that we are now initiating.

The potential for a serious AH1N1 pandemic is clearly high, as evidenced by

the pace of the spread of the disease witnessed during the last week of

April. The impact on the tourism sector is closely monitored by UNWTO.

Over the past three years, the Organizationhas been quietly preparing for this kind ofsituation (see UNWTO News 3/2008, page13). UNWTO has restructured to increasethe capacity for response and industrysupport – largely as a result of Avian flupreparedness.

sos.travel is a one-stop information portal for emergency information for the travel industry and travellers

In this context, UNWTO’s overriding priority ishealth and that is why inside the entire UN Familythe lead of WHO is followed, while expressing theimpacts on travel and tourism.

At this time the extent of the spread, the sustainabilityand the complete health implications of the virus arestill uncertain. The establishment by WHO of level 5 isa high profile manifestation of the spread and of thepreparedness. All of this adds to public awarenessand engagement but naturally also elevates concern.Achieving the right balance is a major issue – aware-ness is key, not abrupt and radical reactions.

There is also understandably an increasing degree ofconfusion emerging around the issue of whetherit issafe to travel. UNWTO has been very active in press-ing for a clear WHO position and is working closelywith ICAO to ensure balanced decision making.

Until the first week of May, WHO saw no reason toclose borders or restrict travel. This is based onmedical, scientific and practical reasons. There isno evidence that it would halt the spread: modellingand past experience confirms this: the economiccost would be enormous. WHO goes further andurges states to resist unilateral action and to consultwith them before any such initiative. It maintains thatpersonal hygiene of travellers and immediate med-ical advice when symptoms of flu appear before,during or after a trip are essential.

UNWTO and TERN Members strongly supportthis position.

http://www.sos.travel/


W O R L D TO U R I S M D AY


The main purpose of World Tourism Day(WTD) is to promote awareness among theinternational community of the importanceof tourism and its social, cultural, politicaland economic values.

WTD is to be commemorated on 27September each year by appropriateevents on themes selected by the GeneralAssembly, on recommendation ofUNWTO' s Executive Council.

This date was chosen to coincide with animportant milestone in world tourism: theanniversary of the adoption of the UNWTOStatutes on the 27th of September 1970.

www.UNWTO.org/wtd/

UNWTO highlights tourism as acatalyst for peace, as an

activity and experience which builds bridgesbetween cultures. In doing so, tourism strength-ens communities, builds livelihoods andinspires understanding.

This year’s celebrations will be hosted in Ghana.The events will mark the 30th Anniversary ofWorld Tourism Day and the benefits the celebra-tion has reaped throughout the years.

Following the success of its past two editions,UNWTO will hold its third annual online photocompetition to commemorate World TourismDay under this year’s theme - photographswhich capture how diversity enriches our lives,reflecting the value of sharing different customsand the important role responsible tourismplays in encouraging respect for different cul-tures and support for local communities.

www.UNWTO.org/wtd

WTD 2009:

Understanding cultural diversity has taken on a new meaning in the context of globalization and the current

international geopolitical climate – this is at the centre of 2009’s World Tourism Day Theme; ‘Tourism - Celebrating

Diversity’. Sustainable tourism plays an important role in maintaining peace and world unity by building bridges

between different cultures and encouraging tolerance through cultural exchange.

Previous World Tourism Day Celebrations

Year Theme Host Country

2008 Tourism: Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change Peru

2007 Tourism Opens Doors for Women Sri Lanka

2006 Tourism Enriches Portugal

2005 Travel and transport: from the imaginary of Jules Verne to the reality of the 21st century Qatar

2004 Sport and tourism: two living forces for mutual understanding, culture and the development of societies Malaysia

2003 Tourism: a driving force for poverty alleviation, job creation and social harmony Algeria

2002 Ecotourism, the key to sustainable development Costa Rica

2001 Tourism: a toll for peace and dialogue among civilizations Islamic Republic of Iran

2000 Technology and nature: two challenges for tourism at the dawn of the twenty-first century Germany

1999 Tourism: preserving world heritage for the new millennium Chile

1998 Public-private sector partnership: the key to tourism development and promotion Mexico

http://UNWTO.org/wtd/prev/en/prev.php?op=4

What is World Tourism Day?

Ghana hosts WTD 2009

W O R L D TO U R I S M D AY


To coincide with the WTD 2008 theme“Tourism Responding to the Challengeof Climate Change”, UNWTO launchedits annual online photo competition

demonstrating climate solutions in tourism –business and leisure travel – from around the

world. The entries were required to showcaseactions undertaken to help respond to climatechange by tourism stakeholders.

UNWTO was flooded with hundreds of entriesfrom all over the world.

A panel of experts eventually picked one over-all winner and four runners up. The photos werechosen not just for their artistic merit but also fortheir ability to illustrate climate solutions intourism.

Photo CompetitionWTD 2008:

5th Prize - Plant a tree to save our planetearth – India, by Ilangovan. N

2nd Prize - WASTE? Think again! Reusedinner tire tube, rented as float on thePasir Panjang beach – Indonesia,by Indah Waty

3rd Prize - Cultural Exchange betweenancestral and modern culture throughsolar panels to avoid environmentalpollution – Peru, by Karla Carrillo

4th Prize -Wireless Blue Skyat a Desert.Resort/Tourists onvillage safari aredrawn to a villagefamous for handwoven rugs. Anawardedcraftsmen usessolar energy toprotect the sereneenvironment –India, by TriptiPandey

1st Prize - Cyclades windmill and how we should consider of turning back time and produce harmless energy – Greece, by Rossitsa Antonova

UNWTO stresses that tourism can play an integral role in stimulus packages and the shift towards a Green Economy.

The current need for global stimulus should be linked with the transformational potential of a green economy.

G R E E N E C O N O M Y

World Tourism Organization

Capitán Haya, 42

28020 Madrid, Spain

Tel.: +34-91-567-8100, Fax: +34-91-571-3733

[email protected]

www.UNWTO.org

UNWTO calls on Tourism Leadersto join the Green Economy

the tourism sector with the necessary tools to influence decision makersand highlight tourism’s undisputed potential to help overcome the cur-rent situation. The Organization’s research on the relationship betweenclimate change and tourism is now being expanded in conjunction withthe World Economic Forum and leading travel and transport companies.This includes enhanced carbon footprint measurement, new approa-ches to transport, supporting transformational initiatives (i.e. RainforestAlliance Certification Framework and UNEP’ s Green Passport) and try-ing to balance growth with carbon impact reduction.

Tourism can contribute through carbon-clean operations, jobs inenvironment management and energy-efficient construction,whilst aiding countries to restore their damaged economies inline with the Davos Declaration Process.

Within the UN framework, UNWTO is promoting the tourism sector as aleader in the transformation towards a green economy and encouraginginvestment in green infrastructure –airports, high speed rail, roads andports.

UNWTO Assistant Secretary-General, Geoffrey Lipman, said “The indus-try is increasingly committed to climate response. Our carbon emissions,at 5% of the total, are significant but manageable with adaptation andnew technology. Poor countries, who need more visitors for their devel-opment agenda, will need special financial support to help them makethe changes necessary to become climate neutral. Investment in GreenTourism will pay massive dividends and send positive signals to con-sumers around the world.”

A new climate deal is expected to be reached at the UN Climate ChangeConference this December in Copenhagen. The key objective is to loweremissions to tolerable levels, through use of clean energy and sharedresponsibility and benefits by all states.

UNWTO’ s efforts are being increased in order to provide Members and

Tourism and the Green New Deal

The UN system strongly supports the “New Green Deal” movementby integrating three critical components:• tough new climate response measures which don’t stall growth,• major financing incentives for clean energy initiatives,• green trade & development support for developing economies

Tourism:• relies heavily on climate and nature,• is a unique catalyst for other economic sectors,• is a great communicator of the ‘green’ message,• has only scratched the surface of its green potential.

La visión de la OMT sobre la recuperación del turismo despues de la crisis 2009

Documents

Transcript of La visión de la OMT sobre la recuperación del turismo despues de la crisis 2009