Global Services Forum - Session 4: More resilient and sustainable tourism for the post-pandemic recovery

The tourism sector is by far the most affected service industry by the COVID-19 pandemic in all developing regions. This sector is highly intensive in jobs for vulnerable groups such as the young and women and therefore needs specific mitigation and support measures. These include temporary financial support to tourism workers and business owners. Likewise, it is essential to accelerate the population’s vaccination as a pillar for the reopening of international tourism and actively promote tourism with rigorous health and safety systems to attract international visitors. The tourism support measures should address the survival of the sector and improve its medium-term sustainability and resilience. Tourism is a critical sector that contributes directly or indirectly to several Sustainable Development Goals, such as 8 (decent work and economic growth), 13 (climate action), 14, and 15 (life below water and on land).

In this context, this event will address three main topics. First, it will discuss trends among different development regions regarding the partial recovery of the tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic. These regions share some of the origins of visitors from advanced economies but differ highly in the local impact of COVID-19. Second, it will compare measures, procedures and protocols that have been put into place to promote the recovery of tourism activity. The third and predominant part of the panel discusses best practices to increase the resilience and sustainability of tourism. This sector contributes approximately 5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, with transport accounting for almost three quarters, followed by accommodation (one-fifth). With the necessary measures to “green” this sector, its impact could be reduced considerably. Tourism can also contribute to the modernization of the agriculture sector, lengthening of value chains, and improving local populations’ living and working conditions. The industry also needs to step up efforts to promote gender equality. The acceleration of the digital transformation of small and medium tourism businesses could increase the resilience of this sector.

Objective

This event is expected to increase the understanding of how the pandemic is playing out in recent tourism arrival trends across developing regions. Also, it contributes to getting to know the diversity of measures being taken to address the short-term crisis and medium-term social and environmental sustainability and resilience of this sector.

This event is also supported with International Sign Language.

Download: Concept Note and Programme

Watch recording of Session 4