The 18th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly concluded with unanimous endorsement of a ‘Roadmap for Recovery’ to mainstream travel and tourism into economic stimulus packages being considered by global leaders.
It underscored the enormous importance of the sector for job creation, trade and development and expressed strong concern about the dangers of increasing taxes which focus on the sector at a time of economic uncertainty calling on governments to reconsider proposed increases.
The Assembly approved the Roadmap for Recovery to respond to the economic crisis and its effect on the travel and tourism sector.
The roadmap is a manifesto that identifies the sector’s importance in global economic resilience, stimulus and transformation to a green economy.
It details areas where the sector can play an essential role in post crisis recovery in terms of jobs, infrastructure, trade and development and calls on world leaders to place tourism and travel at the core of stimulus packages and the long-term green economy transformation.
It also calls for special attention and support for developing states in terms of capacity building, technology transfer and financing.
The plan sets out a basis for action for governments and the industry to deal with the short and long term economic, climate and poverty challenges in a coherent way.
The Assembly called for a moratorium on burdensome travel taxes which target tourism, citing in particular the UK Airport Passenger Duty.
These taxes place a serious burden on poor countries, undermine universal efforts to promote fair tourism trade and distort markets.
Members also passed a declaration calling on governments to review burdensome border control regulations and visa policies and to simplify them wherever possible to boost travel and increase its economic impacts.
At the same meeting the assembly expressed support for a successful outcome of the Copenhagen Climate Conference and endorsed the UN-led Seal the Deal Campaign which seeks to galvanise widespread support for a fair and balanced Copenhagen accord.
The General Assembly unanimously elected former Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Taleb Rifai as Secretary-General for the period 2010-2013 and welcomed his new management team.
Mr Rifai called for greater transparency and accountability, and for the organisation to become more programme-based and results oriented.
More than a hundred tourism ministers and senior government officials are to meet at this year’s World Travel Market in London to address the Roadmap for Recovery .
The high-level third annual UNWTO Ministers’ Summit is on Tuesday, November 10.
Attendees will assess the effects of the economic crisis on the industry and examine new solutions to overcome serious long term issues such as climate change and poverty.
Each year the leading international business to business event attracts over 2,500 international media and in recognition of its global significance, the summit will be broadcast live to the attending media in a press room and on screens for WTM delegates in the Central Boulevard at ExCeL London.
Nearly 50,000 travel professionals, senior management and buyers are expected to attend World Travel Market 2009 at ExCeL London, representing every region, country and industry sector throughout the world.