Tag Archives: UNWTO

International tourism grows 130% in January, but remains 67% below pre-pandemic levels: UNWTO

Based on the latest available data, international tourism continued its recovery in January 2022, with much better results than in early 2021.  International tourist arrivals more than doubled (+130%) compared to January 2021, growing by 18 million. This increase in number of arrivals is the same as in the whole of 2021 over 2020. Despite the robust results, the pace of recovery was impacted by the Omicron variant and the reintroduction of travel restrictions across several destinations.

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Domestic tourism should be at the heart of any country’s destination marketing strategy: Anita Mendiratta, UNWTO

Anita Mendiratta, Special Advisor to the Secretary General, UNWTO, has said that had it not been for domestic tourism, a lot of countries wouldn’t have survived. Hence, she advises, “Domestic tourism must remain at the heart of the strategy, with international and regional strategies complimenting it and not becoming replacements to that strategy.”

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Global tourism grows by 4% in 2021, but remains below pre-pandemic levels: UNWTO 

Global tourism experienced a 4% upturn in 2021, compared to 2020 (415 million versus 400 million). However, international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) were still 72% below the pre-pandemic year of 2019, according to preliminary estimates by UNWTO. This follows on from 2020, the worst year on record for tourism, when international arrivals decreased by 73%. 

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UNWTO calls against blanket travel restrictions 

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of the United Nations calls out against the introduction of blanket restrictions on travel, as witnessed in recent days. This call echoes the concerns raised by UNWTO Members during the 24th UNWTO General. Countries from all global regions expressed their solidarity with Southern African states, calling for the immediate lifting of travel bans imposed on specific countries and for freedom of international travel to be upheld.

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Coronavirus pandemic could cost global tourism $2 trillion this year: UNWTO

According to the latest forecast by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the same amount was lost in 2020, making it one of the sectors hit hardest by the health crisis. The coronavirus pandemic would likely cost the global tourism sector $2 trillion in lost revenue in 2021, revealed UN’s travel body, calling the sector’s recovery “fragile” and “slow.”

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We can’t start business again with the same products post pandemic: Suman Billa

FICCI organized the 6th National Tourism Investors Meet recently, where Suman Billa, Director, Technical Cooperation & Silk Road at UNWTO talked about creative destruction; He said “We all know that the world post pandemic is going to be very different from the world as we knew before. If we were a destination, it would be very surprising if post pandemic we start with the same products and same businesses that we had before the beginning of the pandemic because the world has changed tremendously since then. Every business and every product that is out there has been questioned, investigated and they have come to new forms”.

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India needs to fully open unhindered travel for vaccinated travellers: Suman Billa

Suman Billa, Director, Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Development, UNWTO, has said that India should open unhindered travel for those who are vaccinated. “This means that for domestic travel, if I have been vaccinated and I have a certificate to prove it, I should be allowed to travel wherever I can.” Billa also suggests that India needs an entirely new set of guidelines that can reassure inbound tourists of India’s safety.

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COVID-19 certificates for international travel must be free, universally available: UNWTO

 The World Committee on Tourism Ethics, an independent cell of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), has said that vaccines should not form part of vaccination holiday packages and must remain a global public good. The committee believes that the COVID-19 certificates for international travel must be free and available to all without any discrimination. UNWTO adopted a few recommendations on such certificates for global travel under the Chairmanship of Pascal Lamy. They have also recommended that these certificates must be limited in time and use.

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