SPEAKING at the recently concluded World Travel Market in London, the UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit said that social and economic benefits of tourism can be strengthened if governments collaborate more closely with each other and the private sector over visas, taxation, aviation agreements and marketing.
“The growth of the global travel industry can be even more pronounced if the public and private sector stakeholders adopted stronger relationships and coalitions across borders and across the entire value chain,” said Fiona Jeffery, Reed Travel exhibitions director World Travel Market. “WTM is committed to providing the forum for these important discussions to take place.”
Taleb Rifai, secretary general, UNWTO, started the session by pointing out that despite the global uncertainty, tourism has performed well during the first eight months of 2011. International arrivals are up by 4.5 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Nearly 90 ministers and their aides attended the fifth UNWTO & WTM Ministers Summit at World Travel Market. During the two-hour discussion, partnerships and coalitions were mentioned in a number of contexts.
The different approach from governments to visas and the distorting effect regulations have on the global flow of travellers was a recurring issue. It was felt widely that e-visas and air liberalisation are possible solutions. Marthinus van Shalkwyk, Minister of Tourism, South Africa pointed out that the technology was available to share relevant information between authorities and David Scowsill, president and CEO WTTC, said that this an area where the industry could lead the agenda.
Travel advisories and taxation were two other was issues where tourism ministries could work in partnership with other departments. Peter Long, chief executive of TUI Travel, said that next year’s introduction of the pan-European Emission Trading Scheme could make European travel uncompetitive and demanded “a level playing field” for taxes.
Finance ministries and their relationship with private sector banking was another area where tourism’s voice needed to be heard. Trond Tiske, Minister of Trade and Industry, Norway pointed out that the global demand for tourism was not an issue, whereas the lack of funding for tourism infrastructure was.
Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism Gloria Guevara provided an example of how its tourism and banking ministries worked closely with its Chinese counterparts. “We realised that Union pay check is the biggest bank in China and we didn’t accept there cards anywhere. So we worked together and now the credit cards can be used in ATMs and are as widely accepted as Mastercard and Visa.
Fatou Mas Jobe-Njie, Minister of Tourism and Culture for Gambia pointed out that while governments could incentivise tour operators with reduced landing fees and other benefits, the tour operator then needed to sell the packages.
Taleb Rifai concluded by reminding delegates that the tourism industry was growing during the most severe economic crisis of a generation, and that the number of international tourists in 2012 would break through the one billion barrier. “This growth so far this year is astonishing, but if the industry could work more closely together, even more benefits could emerge, and this will not require any additional investment.”