Strong demand from the United States outbound market has been key to driving recovery, says UNWTO
High-level delegations from across 20 different nations attended the recently held 68th meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas.
According to a press statement by UNWTO, the conference adopted a joint statement by tourism leaders from across the Americas committing to a more ethical, inclusive tourism as the sector bounces back to drive economic recovery across the region.
The UNWTO says that the participants collaborated at the summit to advance sustainability and climate change initiatives, increase investment in the sector, and focus on jobs and education.
UNWTO data suggests that tourism in the Americas had experienced rapid recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. International arrivals to destinations across the Americas reached 86 pc of pre-pandemic levels at the end of Q1 2023 while international seat capacity on planes in the region is also close to pre-pandemic levels, at 97 pc.
Zurab Pololikashvili
Several destinations in the region are already above pre-pandemic levels, says UNWTO, in terms of international arrivals, including Saint Maarten with 51 pc growth, El Salvador registering 26 pc growth, Colombia at 18 pc, the Virgin Islands and the United States jointly at 17 pc, Guatemala with a growth of 14 pc, Honduras recording an uptick at 13 pc and the Dominican Republic at 11 pc. Strong demand from the United States outbound market has been key to driving recovery, adds the statement.
“For the Americas, tourism’s recovery has been rapid and remarkable. Our Regional Commission meeting has made clear a shared commitment to make the most of this recovery by building a stronger, more resilient and more sustainable sector that delivers real benefits for many millions of people right across the region,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
High-Level Support as Regional Commission Meets
According to the statement, Pololikashvili met with President of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso, appreciating his government’s strong support for tourism as a key pillar of sustainable economic development, both in the country and across the region. Also participating in the Commission meeting were Ministers and Vice-Ministers of Tourism from 15 countries. Key achievements of the Commission Meeting followed that Chile, Costa Rica, Haiti and Honduras all announced they will adhere to the UNWTO International Code for the Protection of Tourists.
UNWTO statement adds that this landmark legal first is designed to provide comprehensive and harmonised legal protection for tourists, thereby boosting confidence in travel and making the responsibilities of different tourism stakeholders more transparent. From the region, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay and Uruguay have already adhered to the Code.
UNWTO announced plans to establish a first UNWTO Observatory on Tourism Law for Latin America and the Caribbean. Member states were also updated on UNWTO’s progress in one of its priority areas, with achievements in the region including UNWTO Academy courses held in Argentina and Mexico, collaboration on specialist tourism courses with the Universidad Anáhuac in Mexico.
It adds that UNWTO has produced investment guides for the Dominican Republic, Colombia and Paraguay, with seven more focused on countries in the region set to follow. In Quito, UNWTO also hosted a special Investments Seminar and announced the next step in its collaboration with CAF, the Investment Bank of Latin America.
UNWTO also signed a MoU with Honduras around tourism for sustainable development.
