The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Google have signed a new agreement to work together with the aim of leading the recovery of global tourism after the pandemic. Based on past co-operation, the new partnership is designed to focus on harnessing the power of innovation, education, data, and market intelligence to drive sustainable and inclusive recovery.

Notably, the two organizations will host trainings for Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) using a new Capacity Building Curriculum developed by Google. These sessions will empower destinations to switch to digital, with the training adapted to reflect their specific circumstances and the unique challenges every destination currently faces.

The new Capacity Building Curriculum will also complement existing joint initiatives, and a data sharing agreement for Google’s Travel Insights to power a portion of the UNWTO’s tourism recovery tracker.

Alongside this, the Tourism Accelerator Program, designed by Google in partnership with UNWTO, will also be scaled up globally. A pilot program launched across Europe, Middle East and Africa in 2020 showed the value of working with policymakers to put digital at the heart of their tourism recovery plans and the benefits of upskilling DMOs so they can make effective use of data and market intelligence.

And the partnership promises to go beyond empowering destinations and businesses during the immediate recovery phase. Under the agreement, Google will provide ongoing support for a number of UNWTO initiatives, including Startup Competitions designed to promote and support innovation across the sector.

“The strong partnership between UNWTO and Google will help put innovation and digital at the centre of tourism’s recovery,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

“By working together, UNWTO and Google will empower destinations, businesses and tourism workers to realize the power of data and market intelligence, both increasingly important as global tourism looks to restart and recover.”

Google’s Managing Director for Travel Partnerships Gianni Marostica added: “We’re honoured to be working alongside UNWTO in this vital effort to support the global tourism sector on its path toward broader economic recovery. It’s critical that both policymakers and businesses have the tools and insights they need to reconnect with travelers in a digital environment.”

Looking ahead, UNWTO and Google will also collaborate on joint research projects related to tourism.