Global tourism revival urged: United Nations World Tourism Organization seeks ambitious ideas from creators and business pioneers to spur travel sector's rebound.
Tourism's COVID-19 Battle: UNWTO Steps Up the Game
In the brutal battle that the pandemic’s waged on tourism, the United Nations' tourism wing, UNWTO, shifts gears, focusing on innovation as a key component of their wider pandemic response. Partnering closely with WHO, their efforts aim to centre tourism in future recovery plans and to strengthen international cooperation.
Spectacularly announcing the "Healing Solutions" challenge in tandem with WHO, their united response to the pandemic broadens. This call to action reaches out to entrepreneurs and innovators, asking them to submit fresh ideas to help the tourism sector weather the storm and reclaim its strength. The challenge seeks concepts benefitting destinations, businesses, and public health efforts, prioritizing solutions with immediate impact.
Contenders should be prepared to outwardly showcase how their ideas can prove pivotal in tourism's COVID-19 response. Ideas that have been piloted and arey ready for mass-scale implementation, with a solid business plan in tow, hold the highest appeal. The UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, puts it straightforwardly:
Roll the dice, heroes—the competition is now in full swing, with applications wrapping up on 10 April 2020. Champions of the "Healing Solutions for Tourism" Challenge will have a shot at pitching their ideas to more than 150 government reps. They’ll also gain access to the UNWTO Innovation Network, a playground brimming with start-ups and heavyweights from the tourism world.
For additional information on joining the fray, head to the Healing Solutions for Tourism Challenge webpage.
Tourism's Recovery Battleground
Though specifics on the "UNWTO Healing Solutions for Tourism Challenge" remain under wraps, here's a quick look at the broader landscape of UNWTO initiatives promoting tourism recovery:
UNWTO's Recovery Arenas
- Recovery Guidelines: UNWTO lays down the gauntlet for a robust and sustainable recovery, tackling economic fallout, pandemic safety protocols, and fostering innovation.
- Crisis Action Committee: This committee sparks action, steering the sector through crises like COVID-19 and advocating for resilience and long-term growth.
- Digital Transformation: UNWTO highlights the importance of going digital, forging partnerships with tech titans like Google to turbocharge the digitalization of tourism services.
- Sustainability and Climate Action: Initiatives promoting green tourism practices and climate action, such as Gloria Guevara's leadership plan, call on inventors to create sustainable tourism solutions.
To support the tourism sector’s recovery, entrepreneurs and innovators can:
- Innovate for Solutions: Create game-changing products or services tackling the challenges faced in UNWTO's recovery guidelines, like safety protocols or sustainability practices.
- Join Forces with UNWTO: Collaborate with UNWTO’s task forces and committees to generate and enact new strategies.
- SNAG Affiliate Membership: Consider becoming a UNWTO affiliate member to access resources and networks designed to bolster innovation in the tourism industry.
Though the finer details of the "Healing Solutions for Tourism Challenge" elude us, these broader initiatives paint the picture of how entrepreneurs and innovators can contribute to the tourism sector's post-pandemic recovery.
- In the quest for tourism recovery, UNWTO encourages entrepreneurs and innovators to develop technology-driven solutions, focusing on areas such as safety protocols, sustainability practices, and digital transformation, as part of their wider response to the pandemic.
- To bolster the post-pandemic recovery of the tourism sector, individuals can also participate in UNWTO's Education and Self-Development initiatives, gaining knowledge on business strategies, innovation, and self-improvement, equipping them with the tools to create impactful solutions in the realm of tourism.
