LONDON, 24 April 2020: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) calls on G20 tourism ministers to lead a united and coordinated recovery for the travel and tourism sector out of the COVID-19 crisis.
WTTC, which represents the private sector in tourism and travel worldwide, says only the G20 has the power to influence and drive forward a coordinated recovery effort needed to preserve the sector.
The extraordinary tourism ministers meeting due to take place today Friday 24 April is set to discuss how to combat the crisis that is crippling travel worldwide.
According to WTTC analysis, the Covid-19 outbreak is threatening the jobs of 75 million people around the world and one million jobs daily, significantly impacting major source markets.
Ahead of the meeting, WTTC praised the G20 for freezing the debt of the world’s poorest countries as a major step towards enabling them to bolster their health systems, to save lives and combat Covid-19.
WTTC president and CEO, Gloria Guevara said: WTTC proposes tourism ministers participating in the meeting, fully jointly commit with the private sector to four key principles to achieve a faster recovery.
“We must remember up to 75 million jobs are at risk, and without swift action from the G20 one in four new jobs around the world and the 10.3% (UD8.9 trillion) contribution to global GDP, will not be generated and the global economy will struggle to recover.”
WTTC’s four principles to ensure swift recovery for the Travel & Tourism sector and the global economy following the end of the COVID-19 outbreak, are:
Rebuild confidence
A joint public-private coordinated approach across the G20 to re-establish effective operations, remove travel barriers and reopen borders. This would ensure the efficient resumption of flights, movement of people and widescale travel essential to rebuild confidence in Travel & Tourism.
Safe travel
Enhance the seamless traveller journey experience, combining the latest technology and protocols to increase health standards. Consider the “new normal” for the sector with components of health, security, hygiene and sustainability with a traveller centric approach.
Define standards
Work with the private sector and health experts to define global standards for the new normal, grounded in science which can be easily adopted by businesses of every size across all travel industries and can be implemented across the world.
Financial aid
Continue providing support to the travel and tourism sector during the recovery phase, throughout the entire travel eco-system. Financial aid for workers and businesses to promote a swift recovery. It is vital the domino effect is fully realised so that businesses large and small can all recover and prosper.
Following these four principles will reduce the recovery timeframe of the global economy and offer reassurance to travellers that the time is right once more to explore and visit.
