UNWTO Recommends Ways To Reopen Tourism

With many countries gradually lifting travel restrictions and easing lockdown rules, the UN World Tourism Organization has released a new set of guidelines for the travel, hospitality and related sectors to provide guidance &lsquofor a strong and sustainable recovery&rsquo in the post COVID-19 world.

However, the agency has also warned that international tourist arrivals could fall by between 60 per cent and 80 per cent, likely putting 100-120 million jobs at risk and an estimated loss of US$ 910 billion to US$ 1.2 trillion in exports. Therefore, the guideline emphasises several parameters for tourism recovery, such as providing liquidity and protecting jobs, public-private collaboration for an efficient reopening, added value jobs through new technologies, etc.

&nbspAccording to UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, the guidelines, produced in consultation with the Global Tourism Crisis Committee, offer a comprehensive set of measures designed to help governments as well as businesses to open tourism up again in a safe, seamless and responsible manner. He said, &ldquoThey are the product of the enhanced cooperation that has characterized tourism&rsquos response to this shared challenge, building on knowledge and inputs from across the public and private sectors and from several UN agencies as part of the UN&rsquos wider response.&rdquo

The guidelines, which are expected to boost traveller confidence, cover priority areas such as international border management, cross-cutting measures in the private sector, safe air travel, hospitality, tour operators and travel agencies, destination planning and management, etc. The guideline has also considered areas of public gathering, including meetings and events, attractions and thematic parks.