Startups from around the world have been recognized for their unique contributions to sustainable and responsible tourism in the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition. The competition, which was supported by the United Nations Innovation Network, attracted some 10,000 initial proposals. From these, the jury chose 25 winners from 18 countries, highlighting the array of tourism talent in every global region and its widespread ability to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Shortlisted finalists were judged according to criteria which included the potential of the startups to contribute to a specific Goal, their ability to be scaled-up and the maturity of both the product and the team behind it. The 25 winning startups, selected by a jury made up of leaders from ...
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It was definitely not what the Indian travel and tourism industry has been expecting. Budget 2021-22 has come as a rude shock for an industry, which has faced the most severe brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic in the last one year. Global tourism suffered its worst year on record in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74% according to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Destinations worldwide welcomed 1 billion fewer international arrivals in 2020 than in the previous year, due to an unprecedented fall in demand and widespread travel restrictions. This collapse in international travel represented an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. The crisis has put betwee...
Read MoreGlobal tourism suffered its worst year on record in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74% according to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Destinations worldwide welcomed 1 billion fewer international arrivals in 2020 than in the previous year, due to an unprecedented fall in demand and widespread travel restrictions. This compares with the 4% decline recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. The crisis has put between 100 and 120 million direct tourism jobs at risk, many of them in small and medium-sized en...
Read MoreThe Global Tourism Crisis Committee has met for the first time in 2021. Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the cross-sector body met in Madrid during the 113th session of the UNWTO Executive Council to advance solid plans to restart tourism. The meeting focused on the integration of vaccines into a harmonized approach to safe travel and launching a coordinated effort to boost confidence in the sector. With countries around the world now rolling out vaccines against the COVID-19 virus, the Committee noted that this opens a critical window in the fight against the pandemic and to promote the safe resumption of international travel. Members highlighted the importance of stepping up coordination, within the framework of the International Health Regulations, of vaccination...
Read MoreThe International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA), Airports Council International Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), have jointly expressed their deep concerns about the new measures and restrictions imposed on air travel across Latin America and the Caribbean. In a call to governments they have asked for the implementation and adherence to internationally agreed measures which permit safe air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rolling back the progress made on restoring air connectivity in 2020 will have an adverse effect on the socio-economic recovery in the region, placing millions of jobs at risk. 2021 began as a promising and hopeful year ...
Read MoreThe number of visitors to be allowed into the Taj Mahal has been increased to 15,000 per day despite warnings from health officials that overcrowding at tourist sites could lead to a rise in coronavirus cases. The 17th-century mausoleum, one of India’s most popular tourist destinations, was shut in March after the government imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. When it reopened in September, visitors were initially only allowed back under strict restrictions but local officials said numbers had swelled in recent weeks, pushing them to increase the cap on tourists from 10,000 per day. “The limit has been increased to 15,000 tickets per day so that every tourist can get the ticket and admire the monument,” government archaeologist Vasant Kumar Swarnkar said...
Read MoreFollowing its launch in May this year, the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) highly popular Safe Travels stamp, has now been adopted by 200 destinations around the world. WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, made history when it launched the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene mark – the Safe Travels stamp – earlier this year. It was created in order to restore traveller confidence and revive the global Travel & Tourism sector, which has been left devasted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as more destinations around the world continue to adopt the Safe Travels stamp, the incredible 200 destination milestone was reached, with Chile, U.S. Virgin Islands, Belize, Dominica, Nicaragua, and Uzbekistan becoming the latest to sig...
Read MoreInternational arrivals fell by 72% over the first ten months of 2020, with restrictions on travel, low consumer confidence and a global struggle to contain the COVID-19 virus, all contributing to the worst year on record in the history of tourism. According to the latest tourism data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), destinations welcomed 900 million fewer international tourists between January and October when compared with the same period of 2019. This translates into a loss of US$ 935 billion in export revenues from international tourism, more than 10 times the loss in 2009 under the impact of the global economic crisis. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Since the start of this crisis, UNWTO has provided governments and businesses with trusted dat...
Read MoreAfter partnering back in May for a campaign asking the world to be patient, responsible and “travel tomorrow”, the World Tourism Organization and CNN International Commercial (CNNIC) have teamed up again to celebrate the transformative power being unleased as the restart of tourism gets underway. Centred around a 45-second film launched today and broadcast exclusively on CNN International until January 2021, this message will reach millions of households. The campaign affirms UNWTO as the unifying voice behind the global restart of tourism while harnessing the influence and prestige of the CNN brand to reach global audiences at scale. The #RestartTourism video highlights tourism’s unique ability to adapt and innovate and generate opportunities for sustainable development. CNNlC has...
Read MoreUNWTO has concluded a first in-person visit to Bali since the start of the pandemic. The delegation met with key figures from the Government of the Republic of Indonesia to advance collaboration as the country gets ready to reopen its borders to international visitors and restart tourism. In partnership with Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, UNWTO hosted a special Capacity Building Workshop on Restarting International Tourism in Bali. The workshop counted on the participation of more than 30 leaders from across the tourism sector, with a further 150 experts and leaders joining virtually. Discussions focused on the government’s strategy to restart tourism, including the formulation of policies, procedures, health infrastructure and imm...
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