Numbers of visitors indicate how damaging the pandemic was to the industry. But they don’t provide the complete picture. Since March 2020, the global tourism industry has had a series of setbacks before being redesigned and revived as a result of a concerted effort led by UNWTO.
A decade of unbroken development led to a 1.5 billion increase in annual worldwide tourist visits in 2019. Between 2009 and 2019, arrivals increased by an average of 5% year, or by as much as 63% overall.
The COVID-19 epidemic had a negative impact on tourism. A near-overnight halt in international travel grounded tourists and severed the sector’s lifeblood to underdeveloped countries as well as to communities, businesses, and workers worldwide.
Resuming tourism and restoring the lifeline that the industry provides for millions of people was of the utmost importance in light of the extraordinary catastrophe. However, UNWTO acknowledged that long-term objectives to create a more equitable industry cannot be sacrificed in favor of a quick economic recovery. Additionally, the break in travel offered a chance to restart better and spark the development of a more ethical form of tourism.
The UNWTO reinforced and formed new strategic partnerships to advance the agenda for tourism restart in recognition of the crucial role that the media plays in promoting sustainable tourism and the restart of safe travel.
