WTTC launches research on policy areas affecting tourism growth

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a series of research reports examining key areas affecting the growth of the travel and tourism industry.

A report has been produced for each of the taskforce areas – Human Resources, Infrastructure, IT/E-Commerce and Taxation – and is the culmination of twelve months of work by WTTC taskforces, members of whom comprise a mix of industry chairmen, CEOs and directors of each of the subject area.

WTTC President Jean-Claude Baumgarten said: “Travel and Tourism is a complex industry operating across a spectrum of activity. We hope that by addressing the needs of the industry in these core areas, it will highlight the need for further collaboration between government and private sectors to find real solutions for its continued growth.”

The WTTC said that with human resources a key area for such a labour-intensive and high employment industry – the HR Task Force concentrated efforts on six priority issues:

* Attraction and retention of staff;
* Racial and gender prejudice;
* Training and education;
* Leadership and management development;
* Raising the awareness of governments;
* The future role of HR and the impact of e-HR.

Research on these priority areas was carried out by the task force members and is published in the report with recommendations and examples of best practice in human resource management.

The Council established an Infrastructure Task Force to identify the need to heighten awareness of deepening infrastructure challenges which continue to act as a major barrier to the sustainable growth of Travel & Tourism in both developed and emerging economies. WTTC believes adequate infrastructure development and access to markets are two of the most important prerequisites for the sustainable developent of travel and tourism and for the socio-economic prosperity of any country.

The vision of the IT/E-Commerce Task Force is that travel distribution must evolve from efficiently processing transactions to engaging in meaningful conversations with customers that produce profitable bookings. The report outlines several outcomes to provide a route toward that vision.

The WTTC said that taxation continues to be a significant policy area inhibiting the growth of the travel and tourism industry in some regions and countries – with regressive systems imposing high levies on outside visitors. Using the Council’s Principles of Intelligent Taxation framework – on equity, efficiency, simplicity, fairness, and stimulus to growth – the Taxation Task Force regularly reviews select government tax proposals affecting the Travel & Tourism industry.

The reports are available for free at www.wttc.org.