UNWTO: Tourism Leaders Call for Supportive Global Policies

Around 80 Tourism Ministers meeting at the UNWTO Ministers’ Summit called for global policies that are supportive of the travel and tourism industry. Ministers recalled that tourism is one of the world’s top job creators and can be a key driver of recovery and the transformation towards the Green Economy.

As the global economy still struggles, governments were requested not to impose extra burdens on travel, such as fiscal measures, and to maintain stimulus policies in support of tourism as this in turn will contribute to sustainable economic growth. Guest speaker was Andrew Mitchell, the senior advisor of The Prince’s Rainforest Project and Director of the Global Canopy Program.

The Roadmap highlights tourism’s contribution to the ongoing global efforts to tackle the economic crisis and positions tourism as a primary vehicle for job creation, economic recovery and the transformation to the Green Economy

The Summit echoed that the economic and ecological challenges represent a joint task for the travel and tourism industry. These are closely interrelated with the poverty reduction agenda and the industry’s potential to act on all of them.

2009 has seen markets deteriorate and although the global business cycle is slowly picking up, caution has to be maintained regarding the near future, but preparing for the rebound. Political support for stimulus measures which are helping tourism need to be continued even in the light of a slow recuperation in some markets.

The UNWTO Roadmap for Recovery is supported as a blue print for travel and tourism in the face of short and long-term challenges and will contribute to raise the stakes of tourism ministers within their own governments.

An agreement needs to be reached at the upcoming UN climate change summit in Copenhagen. Travel and tourism shares the global concern to mitigate and adapt quickly to the climate challenge.