Tourism makes global recovery

Global tourism is poised to make a strong recovery but there are serious challenges too related to global economic order and ecological balance that will impact on tourism, according to UNWTO secretary-general, Taleb Rifai who is attending the ITB this week.

ITB 2010 follows a year of decline when international tourist arrivals fell by 4%, while earnings fell by approximately 6%.

The first signs of growth were evident only in the last quarter of 2009 and that trend continued through January 2010. Based on that trend, UNWTO forecasts a growth of 3% to 4% in international tourist arrivals this year. However, there are concerns that recovery could be stalled or short-lived.

“Though there are positive signs emerging from the global economy, we all recognise that recovery is still weak, uneven, easily reversible and that many downside risks remain”, said Mr Rifai. “It is therefore key to devise ways for tourism to be well positioned in any new economic cycle”, he added.

At the same time, Mr Rifai highlighted the lessons learned from the UNWTO Roadmap for Recovery process: countries which were quick in reacting to and implementing measures to mitigate the crisis have seen that their initiatives have made a difference.

He also recalled that “tourism can rapidly create jobs” inviting the sector to consider a “collective initiative that stimulates the preservation and creation of decent jobs and qualifies human resources to be part of the transformation to the green economy”.

In considering the roots of the still persisting challenges, Mr Rifai said “it seems that our global economic order and our global ecological balance are both challenged at the same time”. He added: “The entire development model of the last 60 years seems to be unsustainable and in question”.

Against this backdrop, UNWTO secretary-general underscored that “recent developments have revealed some of the structural weaknesses of our sector, both within the private and the public realms.”

“There is clearly a need to revisit our business models in order to master innovation and technology as much as there is a need to develop comprehensive, clear and strong public policies”, he concluded.