World Tourism Day today (Sept. 27) is being celebrated around the globe, even as the tourism industry, and people of the planet at large, endure a second year of affliction by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indeed, with life, and travel, seemingly inching towards recovery one vaccine jab at a time, there seems little doubt that the new normal will not be the same as the old normal, much to the consternation of many.
Yet, optimists see opportunity in the restart of travel to come back better, with a greater emphasis on sustainability and inclusivity, and the ability to lift the economically disadvantaged and promote peace.
“The human desire to travel and explore is universal, which is why tourism must be open for everyone to enjoy. So too must the many social and economic benefits that tourism brings be available to everybody,” says United Nations Tourism Organization (UNWTO) secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili.
“World Tourism Day 2021 highlights the power of ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’. By celebrating this day, we state our commitment that, as tourism grows, the benefits that come will be felt at every level of our broad and diverse sector, from the biggest airline to the smallest family business. Today, we reaffirm our pledge that, as we move forward and work to build a more prosperous and peaceful world through tourism, we will not leave anyone behind.”
United Nations
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, observed that international tourism arrivals decreased by 95% in the first five months of 2021. “This is a major shock for developed economies, but for developing countries, it is an emergency,” he said in an official message for World Tourism Day.
As such, he stated, “We recognize the power and potential of tourism to advance prosperity and drive inclusive, sustainable development. The tourism sector touches almost every part of our economies and societies, enabling historically marginalized people and those at risk of being left behind to benefit from development that is local and direct.”
He further observed that climate change is also severely affecting many major tourist destinations, particularly Small Island Developing States where tourism accounts for nearly 30% of economic activity.
“With many millions of livelihoods in jeopardy, it is time to rethink, transform, and safely restart tourism,” he said. “With the right safeguards in place, the tourism sector can provide decent jobs, helping to build resilient, sustainable, gender-equal, inclusive economies and societies that work for everyone.
“This means targeted action and investment to shift towards green tourism – with high emitting sectors, including air and sea transport and hospitality, moving towards carbon neutrality. And it means giving everybody a say in how tourism shapes the future of our societies and our planet. Only through inclusive decision-making can we ensure inclusive, sustainable growth… and transform tourism to fulfil its potential as an engine for prosperity, a vehicle for integration, a means to protect our planet and biodiversity, and an agent of cultural understanding between peoples.”
Pololikashvili agreed, adding that working for inclusive growth means “getting everybody behind a better vision for tourism – only this way can tourism’s restart reach the people and communities that need it the most right now and build the foundations for a better future for all.”
The Travel Corporation
One company that has heeded the call is The Travel Corporation, whose brands Trafalgar and Costsaver, in celebration of World Tourism Day, announced plans to
increase their sustainable travel and tourism initiatives by offering a minimum of one “Make Travel Matter” experience on every land tour by 2023.
The experiences are part of TravCorp’s “commitment to responsible tourism as the tourism industry looks to rebuild in a post-pandemic world” and a way to directly contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) by offering guests “rich, meaningful (and qualified) travel opportunities that have a positive impact on the places they visit.”
The trips are already available on all trips through Asia and with a total of 98 experiences across the globe, the brands are committing to extending the offering to include one on every tour.
“As a company with sustainable and responsible travel ingrained in our DNA, we are taking every step possible to secure the future for our industry,” says Gavin Tollman, Global CEO of Trafalgar and Costsaver. “In the wake of the pandemic, every travel organization should be reviewing and assessing their operations in line with the UN global goals, and this is just one way we are securing a more inclusive future for the people and places we visit and our guests.”
“With this change, (guests) guests… will know their travels will meaningfully give back to local communities, wildlife and the planet, no matter the destination they choose,” adds Trafalgar/Costsaver Global Sustainability Officer Gemma Myhill.