On November 17th-19th, the 2020 International Mountain Tourism Alliance Annual Conference opened in Guiyang. The Conference is concentrated on the theme of "The Path of Mountain Tourism Development in the Post-COVID World". During the annual conference, the participants focused on this major topic, and discuss depth in how to promote the revitalization and quality of mountain tourism after the pandemic, and provide thoughts guidance and practice support for global mountain tourism management and promotion of global tourism industry.

This Annual Conference is hosted by the International Mountain Tourism Alliance. UNWTO, WTTC, PATA, GTEF, WTA, WTCF, ASEAN-China Centre, WCCO and other well-know international organizations and associations provided powerful support.

Global Performance

Now since our foundation, we have been quantifying the economic and social impact of Travel & Tourism for 185 countries and 25 regions around the world. We also conduct research into other important area and issues facing the sector such as sustainability, visa facilitation and most important right now crisis management. Using this research, we are able to highlight exactly how significant Travel & Tourism is for a country, region or in the case of this slide, the global economy. Here you will see key data points that we released in February this year, prior to the impact of Covid-19. You can see along the top that Travel & Tourism GDP grew at 3.5% compared to the overall global GDP growth of 2.5%. This was in fact the 9th consecutive year that Travel & Tourism had outpaced the global economy. Overall,our sector accounted for 10.3% of total global GDP, and supported 330 million jobs,which is equivalent to 1/10 of all jobs in the world. An interesting point is that of all the new jobs created over the last 5 years, 1 in every 4 was within our sector. Which is fairly impressive! What this slide also highlights is that Travel & Tourism is the perfect sector to help the global, regional and country economies recover and grow stronger out of the current crisis.

Global Recovery Scenarios

Since the start of the pandemic, WTTC has been quantifying the potential impact that COVID-19 will have on GDP and Jobs across the sector. Here you will see the global picture, with 2 scenarios. Baseline on the left assumed and is in line with exactly what we have been seeing in recent times, especially across China and Europe with the restarting of domestic and short haul travel. 

In the baseline scenario, we forecast that there will be over 121million jobs lost, which is from the original 2019 figure of 330million remember also that over $3.4 trillion will be removed from our sector. Which is very significant. The downside scenario on the right however is based on there being further delays to the restarting of travel, with the assumption that there might be a potential second wave, quarantines are put in place and consumer confidence remains at an all time low. Unfortunately, we are starting to see aspects of this scenario come to realization,with swift travel restrictions being put in place, a lack of coordination between countries and significant barriers stopping travelers from travelling overseas. In the downside scenario, you can see that it will be detrimental to the number of jobs lost and GDP contribution forgone. Over 60% in each case. 

How can we build back Consumer Demand?

Given the impact that we have all felt due to Covid-19, the question or questions you might be asking is how can we start taking the right steps towards recovery? Are there solutions that can help? Can we generate new consumer demand? 

Four Principles for Recovery

Specially, as we all want to avoid the downside scenario from the previous slide and begin stimulating new consumer demand once again, WTTC has developed 4 principle of recovery to help reduce the impact of Covid-19. 

The first is a coordinated approach between governments and the private sector to re-establish effective operations. Within this principal the key focus is on 2 main points, the need to reopen borders replacing quarantine measures with ‘corridors’ or ‘bubbles’ and the call to remove barriers such as travel advisories and bans on non-essential international travel.

Secondly, we are calling for a move to a contactless, safe & seamless traveller experience adding in health & hygiene components with the use of the latest technology. Essentially integrating testing and contact tracing throughout the traveller journey, and if a vaccine becomes available incorporating a digital health stamp that is universally recognized for the traveller.

The third is the need to adopt global health and safety protocols, which have been defined by the travel & tourism private sector, health experts and the public sector in an effort to rebuild traveller confidence and a consistent experience.

Last but certainly not least and of equal importance is that governments continue to support the sector given how hard we have been hit and the important role we can play in the recovery of the global economy. These measures include fiscal incentives, interest free loans and worker protection as well as investment in infrastructure and increasing promotional budgets.

Safe & Seamless Traveller Journey (SSTJ)

To help regenerate consumer demand and taking into account the first two principals for recovery, WTTC has, in collaboration with our members and relevant private sector stakeholders produced guidelines for a ‘Safe & Seamless Traveller Journey’. These guidelines are the best practices recommended by the private sector, focusing on seamless and contactless journeys as well as the testing & tracing of travelers. It will make it more efficient and safer for travelers and employees at all the various checkpoints, in effect reducing the ability for Covid-19 to continue spreading. The outcome of allowing travelers to travel in a contactless manner is designed to help to rebuild traveller confidence and trust throughout their entire journey, whether that be across the whole sector or specifically within mountain tourism destinations. 

Safe Travels Protocols

To further help build back the confidence of the traveller, we also developed industry specific Safe Travel Protocols. So far they cover 10 industries ranging from Airlines, Airports, Tour Operators, Hospitality providers and Attractions. We will soon be releasing protocols focuses directly on ‘Adventure Tourism’. Which of course mountain tourism is a big part of. If you would like to have access to these, please let me know as they will support the safe, healthy, and responsible restart of adventure tourism around the world.

These protocols are divided into four pillars, that you see on the slide. The first, operational and staff preparedness ensures consistency in quality and delivery of services and that staff are trained to execute on safe & hygienic plans. Second, ensuring a safe experience for staff and guests through enhanced cleanliness and hygiene best practices. Next, the rebuilding of trust through transparency and communication with guests, by providing clear, consistent, and up-to-date information to customers on new health & hygiene protocols via the organization’s channels, both digitally and physically through on site signage. Finally, the need to implement enabling policies at the governmental level to ensure consistency of services being offered as well as enhancing promotional activity budgets to increase consumer demand, providing financial relief and establishing incentives to boost travel & Tourism.

The aim of our members and the private sector is that by establishing these baseline protocols, we can build the traveller confidence through world leading health and hygiene standards for the protection consumers and the employees. This in turn will bring back consumer demand.

Building on from the industry specific guidelines, and the request from our members we have introduced a Safe Travel Stamp. The Safe Travel Stamp provide a single global indicator for travelers across the world to see who is in the meeting the protocols . We have found that this is a perfect way to start building the confidence of the traveller back,stimulating new consumer demand and start on the road to recovery in global travel and mountain tourism. Here you see just a few of the destinations who have signed up and pledged to uphold the protocols throughout every stage of their business operations. Our aim is that a traveller who sees the Safe Travel Stamp will feel rest assured that the service they are about to experience has their best health, hygiene, and safety in mind. 

Here you see the global overview of where those destinations are who have signed up to the Safe Travel Stamp are located. There is now the ability for destinations themselves to adopt the Safe Travel Stamp and provide it to their stakeholders & suppliers who are abiding by the specific protocols. Please let me know if your destination is interested in signing up to the stamp, as we

I’d like once again thank International Mountain Tourism Alliance allowing myself and WTTC to be a part of this very important conference today. 

Thank you!