Travel and tourism is central to the world’s economic recovery from the pandemic but faces “economic headwinds”, G20 tourism ministers have been told.
The sector is set to grow at double the speed of the global economy over the next decade.
But enhanced collaboration between the public and private sectors is needed now more than ever to achieve a full recovery and ensure a sustainable future, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.
WTTC president and chief executive pressed home the message in an address to the group of 20 in Bali, Indonesia, describing the Covid era as “more than two years of pain”.
She said: “Travel and tourism is seeing green shoots of recovery. The world, with some exceptions, is travelling again.
“However, the recovery could be hampered by economic headwinds.
“Rising energy prices, cost of living, labour shortages, airspace restrictions, and, of course, climate change, all threaten the full of recovery of our sector.
“In order to unlock its full potential and achieve the long-awaited recovery, the public and private sector must join forces and collaborate more than ever.
This historic meeting gives us the best platform to establish public-private collaboration, which will help us build back a better, stronger, and more resilient travel and tourism sector.
“Finance ministers should take note that this is the sector that will turbo charge economies following the worst economic shock of the modern age, creating 126 million new jobs.”
Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Korea, US, Canada, Spain and Indonesia took part at the dialogue, joined by UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili.