In his recent address to the world, secretary-general of the United Nations António Guterres said that tourism can be used as a platform to overcome the effects of Covid-19.
“By bringing people together, tourism can promote solidarity and trust – crucial ingredients in advancing the global cooperation that is so urgently needed at this time,” said Guterres.
The UN chief emphasised on how tourism is a key player in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is a collection of 17 goals set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and intended to be achieved by 2030.
“The livelihoods of many depend on it, especially women and particularly in the world’s most vulnerable countries, including small island developing states and least developed countries.
“Moreover, in many parts of the world, the protection of biodiversity relies heavily on the tourist sector, from conservation to the revenue generated by those efforts,” added Guterres.
As per the United Nations specialised agency, the World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) analysis about 100-120 million jobs in the tourism sector are at risk.
Guterres has urged members of the tourism sector to explore ways in which they can “recover better, including through climate action and other steps that advance sustainability and build resilience.”
Read Business Traveller India’s report, Restrictions on tourism travel start to ease but caution remains, to understand the travel sector’s current scenario, and UNWTO’s guidelines to ensure safe tourism.
Secretary-general of the United Nations statement on the tourism industry: