Editor’s Note
On 29 May, the 2022 International Mountain Tourism Day theme event was held online and themed on “Mountain Tourism Promotes Healthy Life and Cultural Exchange”. The event motivated the New Media network, connected IMTA members, destination agencies, enterprises, and experts from all over the world, and carried out “cloud communication, dialogue, and presentation” around three chapters — “Focus · Mountain”, “Health · Life”, and “Civilization · Communication”. Against the complex global landscape and threat from COVID-19, the event helps create a healthier and more positive atmosphere and market for mountain tourism, promote cultural exchange, friendly communication, and mutual integration among countries, to jointly prepare, build, and share a bright future of mountain tourism. At the event, Maribel Rodríguez, senior Vice President of WTTC, delivered a speech.
Promoting the Revitalization and Sustainable Development of Tourism to Drive the Global Economy
Hello, my name is Maribel Rodríguez. I am the Senior Vice President of WTTC World Travel & Tourism Council. I am delighted to address you today at 2022 International Mountain Tourism Day Commemoration. Congratulations to IMTA’s continuous efforts on providing such a great platform to facilitate meaningful conversations and discussions for Travel & Tourism sector.
WTTC represents the global private sector. Our members are the CEOs of over 200 Travel & Tourism companies from all over the world from hotels to airlines to airports, OTAs, tour operators and cruises and so on. We also work with governments to help them define effective policies and support for the sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard for all of us, but tourism has really been impacted more deeply than others. We must focus our efforts on reopening borders and accelerating recovery.
Prior to the pandemic. Travel & Tourism created 1 in 4 of all new jobs globally 334 million jobs, 10.4% of global GDP. The good news are now we expect to reach 2019 levels by the end of 2023, but only if governments and the private sector can continue to work together to reopen borders and enable tourism.
As you see, our sector is key to the recovery of the global economy and people’s lives. Over the next ten years, to 2032 T&T is estimated to create 126 million new jobs. Of these, 1 in 7 new jobs will be direct T&T jobs and 1 in 3 of new jobs will be in the entire economy.
Travel to mountains to stay closer with the nature environment is increasingly a need, especially after the Covid. It is particularly important for us to focus on a sustainable and inclusive recovery that priorities people and planet.
We have recently launched our Hotel Sustainability Basics, a globally recognised and coordinated set of criteria that all hotels can use to reach the basics of sustainability. I believe it will be needed especially for hotels located in mountain areas. We will be pleased to welcome IMTA members and partners in hotel sector to join this initiative and adopt sustainable measures in hotels.
Our Destination 2030 report looks at global cities’ readiness for sustainable tourism. It includes examples and lessons for cities as we work towards sustainable and inclusive growth. It is our duty to support all destinations as they reopen borders, support communities and power the global economy through Travel & Tourism.
China is such an important contributor and player in the international landscape of travel & tourism sector. We all look forward to her reopening and return. WTTC is always willing to work together with public and private sectors in China to facilitate a rapid recovery of our sector.
I wish you all productive an enjoyable conference. Thank you!
