The world’s leading private and public sector travel and tourism leaders took a united stand to safely restart international travel at the closure of the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Global Summit in Cancun last week – an event hailed as the world’s first face-to-face meeting of global tourism leaders post-COVID-19.
The Summit attracted hundreds of the world’s foremost business leaders, government ministers and key decision-makers from across the global travel and tourism sector, with tens of thousands more joining virtually, to discuss the road to recovery for the embattled sector.
Attendees were subject to world-class health and hygiene protocols and regular testing was made available for all delegates throughout the event.
Global travel leaders used the three-day forum to share their experiences from the last 12 devastating months, which had ravaged the travel and tourism sector (reported to be 18 times worse than the 2008 financial crisis), and discussed how together they could safely restart international travel, while looking to an even more sustainable and inclusive future of the sector.
“Our very presence here, shows that we can resume international travelling once more, by observing the latest health and safety protocols, which WTTC has helped develop for businesses large and small throughout the sector,” said WTTC president and CEO Gloria Guevara. “Together we have shown that with a united front, both the private and public sectors in travel and tourism can drive change and get the world moving again so that we can start travelling, exploring and sharing our experiences face-to-face.”
Under the theme of ‘Uniting the World for Recovery’, tourism ministers from around the world and senior Travel & Tourism business leaders agreed that the need for greater public and private collaboration.
At WTTC’s Global Leaders Dialogue session they debated how the sector could tackle the pressing issues of protecting jobs, saving businesses, and supporting the global economy through the safe revival of international travel.
The growing importance of using digital technology, such as biometrics, a major force in the post COVID-19 world, was recognized as being critical to creating a contactless, safe and seamless traveller journey.
WTTC also committed to work towards a more inclusive and sustainable future, pledging to advocate and advance gender equality and equity, and boost female representation in leadership roles by launching its Women’s Initiative with the help of 18 Grand Slam singles title winner, Martina Navratilova.
The Global Summit saw the signing of the WTTC Women’s Initiative Declaration, which recognized the contribution of women around the world and the importance of an equal equitable environment for women to thrive as leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
The event also saw Carnival Corp. President and CEO, Arnold Donald named as the new Chair of WTTC, which represents the global private Travel & Tourism sector, and Manila, Philippines announced as host for the next Global Summit (dates TBC).
“We concluded our Global Summit here in Cancun,” said Guevara, “confident that together we can revive a sector which will generate the world’s economic recovery and bring people back together thanks to the amazing benefits international travel and tourism can bring.”