UNWTO gets into top gear

Week of enormous activity includes message on international arrivals: Andorra tourism Davos announced: organized two packed meetings at WTM and started Macclesfield membership negotiations

In a week of  enormous activity the UNWTO issued an important milestone announcement about the global tourism recovery; instituted a Davos-style tourism meeting for Andorra: organized a major summit at the WTM with 100 ministers of tourism present; created a packed media mart for the 26 Silk Road countries; and even had time to send a delegation to Macclesfield.

International Tourist Arrivals back at pre-crisis peak level – said UNWTO

UNWTO results for the first 8 months of 2010 now indicate that tourism arrivals have finally exceeded 2008 levels. 642 million arrivals were noted (7% over 2009 and 1 million more that the same period of 2008). Revised growth forecast for 2010 is 5%-6% with emerging destinations continuing to lead the growth while Europe recovers at a slower pace

Growth was also strong in the Middle East (+16%), although this was on a very depressed first eight months in 2009. Africa (+9%), the only region to show growth in 2009, maintained the momentum, further helped by the worldwide publicity created by the FIFA World Football Cup hosted by South Africa.

In the Americas (+8%), growth has been strong in North and Central America (+9% each). South America (+7%) is on a par with the worldwide average, while the Caribbean (+3%) is showing a lower rate of growth.

Europe (+3%) is recovering at a slower pace, due to the uneven economic recovery and the impact of the volcanic ash cloud in April. However, most destinations reported positive figures for the period May to August, in particular in Western Europe (+4%), Central and Eastern Europe (+4%) and Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+2%). Northern Europe (-3%) is the only sub-region in the world still registering negative results, pulling the average of the region down.

As on previous occasions, such as after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and the 2003 SARS outbreak, said UNWTO, tourism has again confirmed a strong capacity for recovery. Following a decline of 4% in international tourist arrivals in 2009, the sector is showing real growth and is expected to beat previous records by the end of 2010.

“These results reinforce the message that we have been underscoring since the outbreak of the global crisis at the end of 2008 – that tourism is one of the most dynamic economic sectors and a key driver in creating much needed growth and employment,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, presenting these figures during the UNWTO Ministers’ Summit at the World Travel Market (London, UK). “Tourism has been seriously impacted by the global crisis, but less than other export sectors, and is currently rebounding faster and more robustly. We call upon governments worldwide, as well as multilateral forums such as the G-20, to place tourism higher on their agendas as the sector can contribute to our common objectives of sustaining recovery, regaining jobs and promoting sustainable development," he added.

However, worryingly, international tourism expenditure is still lagging behind.

UNWTO Announces the First Global Tourism Forum/Andorra

UNWTO and the Government of Andorra announced the holding of the first Global Tourism Forum to promote the value of tourism to global decision makers (6-7 March 2011, Andorra).

UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and the Andorran Ministry of Economy and Finance, Pere López Agràs, outlined the scope and objectives of the Global Tourism Forum/Andorra 2011: ‘Building New Models for Tourism Growth: Competitiveness & Responsibility’.

“We want this to be the first truly global forum where the tourism public and private sector meet other sectors of the economy and political leaders and work together to make the true value of tourism understood by top level decisions makers and business leaders” said Mr Rifai, announcing the event.

The Forum will be the first meeting of all the major players from the tourism sector, public and private, as well as economists, academia and civil society, allowing the tourism community to reach out beyond the sector and demonstrate its role in the post-crisis sustainable recovery, climate change and fair and inclusive development. www.unwto.org/pdf/GTFA.pdf

Governments should follow Chinese approach says Rifai

Governments around the world should follow the Chinese approach to tourism, according to the UNWTO Ministers’ Summit which took place at World Travel Market in London.

Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), said: “China is seeing the benefits from giving tourism a very high priority within government. It is an example other countries should try to follow.”

More than 150 tourism ministers and aides attended the Summit. Qiwei Shao. Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, said that the Chinese government started to listen when he was able to show that 109 other sectors were involved in tourism. Some 15 million people are employed directly in tourism, with another 85 million indirectly employed.

Sustainability was also high in the Summit’s agenda, with ministers told that they needed to be more vocal in defending tourism’s environmental record. Many ministers agreed that sustainability was not only about climate change but also culture heritage, resources and socio-economics.

And taxation was another recurring theme. The UK’s controversial Air Departure Tax (APD) was blamed for prompting other countries – Germany and Austria – to shortly introduce a similar measure.

www.unwto.org/facts/eng/barometer.htm

The British market town of Macclesfield is negotiating to join the UNWTO Silk Road programme.

Following a visit by a UNWTO delegation to the town, which was the centre of the British silk industry some 250 years ago, an agreement was reached to progress discussions.

Alla Peressolova, Manager of the UNWTO Silk Road programme said “The strong Silk Road brand offers tremendous opportunities for local community projects to both Macclesfield and the other members of the Silk Road programme. We were all impressed with the exceptional silk heritage in Macclesfield and the hospitality of all the people we met."

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Valere Tjolle

Valere Tjolle

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Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite: FINAL WEEK OF EXTRA SPECIAL OFFER at: www.travelmole.com/stories/1145184.php