Category: Latest Travel News

London, United Kingdom, June 25, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Virginia Messina, WTTC Senior Vice President, said: “WTTC is very concerned about reversing quarantine measures and would urge against EU states reimposing them on arriving British holidaymakers.

“With more than 60% of British adults now fully vaccinated, they should be able to enjoy quarantine-free travel to the EU.

“Quarantines are not the most effective measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 and there is no need to reintroduce them especially given the increasing vaccination rates across Europe.

“Imposing an EU-wide quarantine would extinguish any hopes of bringing back significant summer travel which is a critical season for most European markets. This would significantly damage these countries’ economies, such as Germany where the UK is the fourth largest source market.

“It would also deal a significant economic blow to countries such as Portugal, Spain, Cyprus and Malta where the UK is also the biggest source market – and Italy – where quarantines have recently returned for inbound British travellers.”

London, United Kingdom, June 23, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President WTTC, said: “Today’s announcement from the EU advising member states to begin welcoming back U.S. travel is the latest piece of encouraging news from global leaders as we all work towards revitalising the global Travel & Tourism sector. Reopening pathways for tourism and business between countries within the EU and the U.S. is a significant step in providing a much-needed boost to the economy and job market across all parties involved.

With 42% of the U.S. population now fully vaccinated, according to the latest data provided by the CDC, combined with the EU’s continued vaccine rollout and introduction of digital travel certificates, the time is now to begin to lift restrictions safely and sustainably.

Travel & Tourism is responsible for millions of jobs and livelihoods. Global leaders working together to reinstate travel around the world safely and consistently, as addressed in the G7 Communique, will be crucial to the global economic recovery.”

Harare, Zimbabwe, June 24, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO commits to work with the Government of Zimbabwe to measure the importance of tourism for the country’s economy.

Zimbabwe has identified tourism as a central pillar of its National Development Strategy, (NDS 1, 2021-2025). To reflect this, UNWTO is now working with the government on the development of the country’s first Tourism Satellite Account (TSA). The TSA will measure tourism’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s GDP, as well as its size relative to other sectors, and the number of jobs it generates. It will also allow the government to measure the value of public and private investment related to the sector and the effect of international tourism on the country’s balance of payments.

Mr Munesu Munodawafa, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, said, “As we continue to invest in the recovery and re-development of tourism across Zimbabwe, we must be able to accurately measure the importance of tourism to the country’s economy. The development of the TSA is one of the key milestones for the sector under the NDS1 (2021-2025).  This tool is critical to aid Government’s decision making and evidence-based policy formulation for a sustainable and resilient tourism sector post COVID-19.”

Elcia Grandcourt, UNWTO Director for Africa said, “We are delighted to work again with Zimbabwe in this important endeavour. We are committed to supporting the government in providing clear data that can help guide key decisions for tourism’s recovery and growth.”

The initiative forms part of the four-year Zimbabwe Destination Development Program, a technical assistance initiative supported by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. It is being delivered by the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, and sponsored by the Government of Japan. The program supports the recovery of Zimbabwe’s tourism industry and aims to safeguard thousands of jobs amid a sharp decline in travel caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Houston, Texas, United States, June 21, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The fast-rising SpaceFund venture capital team announced its newest member today. James Mertz brings a highly successful career in family office, energy, and real estate investing to a team that has already shaken the space investment world with its early successes and thought-leading investment strategies. Mr. Mertz joins Meagan Crawford as a managing partner of the rapidly-growing “BlastOff” fund, where they oversee and manage the fund’s portfolio of leading-edge space technology companies.

• For a better understanding of Space and to join the economic and industrial development of space. Contributors welcome – MadeInSpace.com

“James Mertz is a perfect fit for SpaceFund. He is a quick study, has high integrity, is sharp, hard-working, and has a laser focus on the bottom line and creating value for our investors,” said SpaceFund co-founder and board chair, Rick Tumlinson. “Coming from outside of the space field, he helps us continue to balance our vision with even more rock-solid business acumen.”

Mertz brings SpaceFund over thirteen years of experience in various energy, investing, and venture roles, including as Managing Partner at Mertz Holdings, an active early-stage family office, and President of Mertz Energy, an independent E&P company. In addition, he is a founding partner of Townsend Mertz, a real estate investment firm, a Venture Advisor for Resonant Venture Partners, and an LP Advisor at FTW Ventures.

“I’m beyond excited to be part of the SpaceFund team,” said Mertz. “To be able to combine my experience and expertise in creating portfolio value with being part of the space revolution is a dream come true.”

SpaceFund is moving into a new phase of investing. With the success of its first “LaunchPad Fund,” whose investments in 14 companies have already doubled in value in the nine months since it closed in late 2020, the “BlastOff” Fund is the next step for the company.

Managed by Mertz and long-time space business expert Meagan Crawford, the larger fund will follow on early investments by the LaunchPad Fund and bring larger allocations to bear on new rising stars of an industry that is literally taking off. Mertz has been quietly working with the company as it planned and launched the fund, integrating with the team and adding his great expertise to its formation and launch while laying the foundations for its success.

“The combination of James and his history of success outside of the space field, with Meagan and her central place in the space technology industry is a killer app for SpaceFund,” said Tumlinson. “These two are destined to be the new dynamic duo of space investing.”

Over the last thirteen years, James has generated a 39% IRR and helped grow portfolio companies to unicorn status, one of which has exited. In addition, James sourced and managed multiple capital investments, helping diversify family holdings, including Resonant VC, Neurodyn Inc., Reach Production Solutions, and many others.

“I am here to support the SpaceFund mission of opening the High Frontier by both enabling the birth and success of new space companies and helping outside investors navigate what can be a confusing landscape of shiny objects,” said Mertz. “Coming from energy and real estate investing, I am not impressed by fancy animations and slide decks. Instead, show me the team, show me the financial statements, show me the path to profits.”

The addition of Mertz is part of an overall plan by Tumlinson that began with the rollout of SpaceFund, and is designed to build credibility through access to deal flow, placement of successful investments, and leadership by an innovative team of space investment thought leaders.

“We planned from the beginning to take a step by step approach to securing our place in space investing, building credibility, becoming thought leaders and slowly adding capabilities and five star personnel,” said Tumlinson. “Meagan is already known as the ‘startup whisperer.’ Bringing James on is the next part of that plan, and integrating his amazing and pragmatic expertise from outside the space field will propel us to even higher levels. So I suggest my friends in the space field step back, as this team is Blasting OFF.”
SpaceFund welcomes James Mertz as co-managing partner for SpaceFund Two.

• For a better understanding of Space and to join the economic and industrial development of space. Contributors welcome – MadeInSpace.com

About James Mertz
James Mertz is a Texas native. He received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and received his MBA with highest Distinction from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and IESE Barcelona. While at Michigan, Mr. Mertz studied in Bulgaria through the Fulbright Program and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.

Mr. Mertz is also co-Managing Partner of Townsend Mertz, a diversified real estate equity fund manager, and President and founder of Mertz Energy, where he manages a technical team to source and generate oil and gas projects. Prior to these activities, Mr. Mertz started and led the Oil & Gas Downhole and Subsea division for Amphenol, a $40 billion market cap manufacturing company.

London, United Kingdom, June 21, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, and faculty and scientists of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, today release four research insight papers to support the pursuit of sustainability in Travel & Tourism.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

The research insights aim to support decision-makers in Travel & Tourism broaden their understanding of sustainability as it relates to policies and practice in the sector.

WTTC and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have a long history of collaboration, working towards a more sustainable future for Travel & Tourism. Together, they aim to raise awareness, shift mind-sets, and enact systemic change.

WTTC hopes that these research insights will help move the agenda beyond immediate operational impacts, with sustainability positioned as central to long-term business success. Indeed, many private sector organisations in Travel & Tourism embed sustainability into their strategy.

WTTC and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have a long history of collaboration, working towards a more sustainable future for Travel & Tourism. Together, their work is aimed at raising awareness, shifting mindsets, and enacting systemic change.

The learning insights focus on four key sustainability-related issues, notably: setting science-based targets in Travel & Tourism; adopting a culture of health to advance sustainable Travel & Tourism; behavioral economics in Travel & Tourism; and leadership in sustainability.

Insights include:

• Aligning business strategy with global commitments
• Translating environmental benefits secured by climate action, such as switching to renewable energy sources and transitioning to electric vehicles, among others
• Making sustainability the default option and an expected norm.
• Simplifying options and choice sets, incorporating sustainability as the most likely option a traveller will make
• Visualising pro-sustainability choices and behaviours, where possible
• Ongoing investment in sustainability education and training to drive sustainability at all levels, including Board members
• Ensuring sustainability leadership traits, attributes and impact are woven into staff development plans, appraisal, and reward mechanisms

Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President and Acting CEO, WTTC said: “We are delighted to be working with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health once again– a leading academic institution globally.

“WTTC is thrilled to champion sustainability leadership and innovation practices in Travel & Tourism and be involved in creating meaningful outputs on sustainability within the sector. We hope this work will help bring in a new era within the sector that encourages social and environmental responsibility.

“Sustainability has become an integral part of the new normal that we’re seeing the sector move towards, and it’s clear that businesses must learn to integrate it as part of their organisational DNA if they want to thrive in a post-COVID world.”

Dr. Wendy Purcell, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and lead researcher for the research insights said: “This is an important collaboration where sustainability, public health and business come together to advance research-led practice in the Travel & Tourism sector. Given the importance of the Travel & Tourism sector for people, planet and shared prosperity, research-led practice in the sector is central to inclusive and sustainable growth.”

Professor Jack Spengler, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said: “We value our long-term collaboration with WTTC. These important research insights draw attention to opportunities to help accelerate change in the sector.”

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

This collaboration between WTTC and Harvard encourages the sharing of best practices and supports sustainability as a core strategic priority to ensure the viability of the Travel & Tourism sector and the co-creation of thriving sustainable societies.

To read the learning insights in full, please click here.

Barcelona, Spain, June 19, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched the Jobs Factory, powered by Hosco, the global hospitality network. This innovative platform is designed to connect talent with employers across the sector, being the perfect solution for hospitality recruitment.

The Jobs Factory harnesses Hosco’s power of machine learning, algorithms, and deep learning to match candidates with suitable positions, both locally and internationally. Job-seekers are able to create a profile, search for positions that match their experience and skills, and set up job alerts to be informed of the latest opportunities. The platform also helps tourism businesses and organizations to find and recruit the best talent.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

All of UNWTO’s 159 Member States will be invited to use the Jobs Factory as their national tourism recruitment platform as will its more than 500 Affiliate Members, ranging from businesses to universities and think tanks. Additionally, through the Jobs of the Future Observatory, Member States can also monitor current and future skills development to analyse trends. This will allow them to forecast and identify gaps and mismatches and make data-driven decisions.

The Jobs Factory will be a great help to the millions of people who depend on tourism. It connects employers with the very best talent our sector has to offer

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The pandemic has hit global tourism hard. Up to 120 million jobs are at risk. However, tourism has a long history of adapting and embracing innovation. The Jobs Factory will be a great help to the millions of people who depend on tourism. It connects employers with the very best talent our sector has to offer. And it will help our Member States make important decisions based on the latest, trusted data.”

Olivier Bracard, Hosco’s CEO, added: “Hospitality is all about people, and since March 2020, its workforce has been terribly affected, thus the industry as a whole. Hosco’s purpose of making hospitality an exciting journey for talent has never been so challenging yet so crucial, and we’re thrilled to be joining forces with UNWTO to expand the impact of our technology and expertise to its Member States. We’re confident that UNWTO’s Jobs Factory, powered by Hosco, will become a critical asset for governments, employers, and hospitality professionals as we embrace recovery.”

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

About Hosco
Hosco is a professional network specially designed for the hospitality industry. It was born in 2011 with one clear vision: to empower the industry by uniting all of its professionals, educational centres, and employers in one global network to connect, find or provide job opportunities, access tailored content, and career advice. The platform currently connects 1.5+ million hospitality students and professionals and 400+ schools with 7,500+ world-class companies worldwide.

Bangkok, Thailand, June 18, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / From Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor, Travel Impact Newswire – Dear Governor Yuthasak, with the vaccination process full steam ahead, a few hiccups notwithstanding, Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha’s speech on 16 June has paved the way for a rebound and recovery, led by Travel & Tourism. You now have a golden opportunity to build on the speech and cement your place in history, as well as that of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Thailand at large.

When the crisis surfaced, there was a lot of gung-ho optimism that Travel & Tourism would convert it into an opportunity to REcover, REset, REstructure, REthink, REvise, REthink, REview, RE-this, RE-that. These fancy catchwords are nothing new; I REcall hearing them after each previous crisis. In REality, they delivered little or nothing on the ground.

But this crisis is different from all others in its depth, duration and severity, which is precisely why it must not lead to a REturn to the old abnormal.

• For a comprehensive travel guide on Thailand, Visit Thailand – Be Happy, at VisitThailand.net

As the country’s primary tourism marketing agency, the TAT will be at the forefront of the REcovery process. No doubt, marketing, branding and image-building experts are knocking at your door seeking taxpayer money for grandiose REopening projects. Provincial destinations, airlines and tour operators are also in the queue. Because money talks, and is in equally short supply as the vaccines, it is imperative to ensure that every baht is spent in an accountable, transparent, productive and efficient manner, and produces the desired results in line with the new REalities.

I would like to REspectfully propose a few ways by which the TAT can REvamp the utilisation of its budgets and set a clear example for global national tourism organisations to follow:

Adjust the focus: What is the real objective of a tourism REcovery? Will simply measuring visitor numbers and expenditure suffice as indicators of “success”? In fact, the over-arching need of the hour is to totally REstructure and REthink these indicators. Immediate short-term results of REcovery campaigns can easily be statistically measured by the transportation sector, hotels and tour operators. The TAT now needs to raise the game and strive for more exalted targets.

Support worthy causes: Making Travel & Tourism a conduit for a more peaceful, safe and sustainable world means striving for causes such as the UN SDGs at the global level, the ASEAN Integration agenda at the regional level and the NESDC and Sufficiency-Economy targets at the local level. Many non-profit foundations, NGOs and institutions are supporting these efforts. They have huge followings, but cannot afford to hire slick salespeople to market their activities and projects. Because their work is patronised by thousands of dedicated and committed people, national tourism organisations should be reaching out to them rather than the other way around. Corporate social responsibility activities which make the world a better place, in the words of former UNWTO Secretary General Dr Taleb Rifai, is a sure-fire way of uplifting the quality of life at a destination, crafting a new reality-based image AND boosting visitor numbers.

Diversify the venues of TAT events: Most of the TAT’s press conferences and public events are are held either in-house or in hotels. These venues can easily be aligned with the broader causes, such as the Siam Society, Thai universities, the UN ESCAP conference centre, museums, the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand and other such places. They will certainly appreciate the outreach and benefit from the exposure and indigenous funding. Partnering with them could also give the TAT more positive exposure and upgrade the quality of discussion on serious tourism-related issues, which is long overdue.

Elevate the intellectual value of Travel & Tourism forums: One bitter lesson learnt from this and previous crises is that global tourism is totally at the mercy of external shocks. It is thus imperative to start exploring ways by which Travel & Tourism can influence global events, rather than be influenced by them. Stuffing the pockets of branding gurus, technobabblers, bloggers and “influencers” in pursuit of “likes” and “clicks” is a waste of time and money. Industry conferences and forums have become brain-dead platforms for preaching to the converted. The industry is bored of listening to the usual gaggle of trumpet-blowing executives from Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook, etc. Why not organise a totally overhauled industry event to discuss broader issues such as foreign policy, the next five-year NESDC plan, cryptocurrencies, climate change, the future of democracy, privacy, security, fake news and fraud?

Help the private sector to help itself: The Covid-19 crisis has decimated the private sector. But REbuilding must not mean more one-way handouts. In the boom days, dozens of Travel & Tourism industry associations emerged to REpresent their varied constituents. Most of their websites are in a mess. The TAT runs one of the Thai government’s best websites. This experience can be shared with the private sector associations. Helping the private sector to help itself is a far more cost-effective way of producing results.

Finally, be transparent: The TAT’s first female governor, Mrs Juthamas Siriwan, brought shame and dishonour upon the state enterprise with her arrest and conviction on corruption charges. Making all procurement contracts and marketing activities more open and transparent will go a long way towards ensuring that external contractors deliver the goods, and are held accountable for pork-barrel waste and inefficiencies. Other NTOs worldwide will be forced to follow suit, setting new standards for industry best-practises.

Governor Yuthasak, you were the first “outsider” to helm the TAT. I was in the TAT lobby the day you first arrived for work in August 2015, the year after a comparatively minor internal political crisis, the 2014 military coup. Since then, thanks to a flood of mass-volume Chinese and Indian tourists, visitor arrivals soared to the point where “overtourism” became a double-edged sword. That is one headache you need not worry about for years.

Having gone from feast to famine virtually overnight, global tourism has a chance to start afresh. Leaders such as yourself have a chance to make history. Old ways of doing business are fading rapidly. The industry’s modus operandi is in dire need of a “REset, REthink, REstructure” agenda system-wide. Without it, even the survival of the TAT in its present form cannot be guaranteed.

• For a comprehensive travel guide on Thailand, Visit Thailand – Be Happy, at VisitThailand.net

As one of Thailand’s longest-serving travel trade journalists, I am proud to be the first to have called the kingdom The Greatest Story in Global Tourism HiSTORY. In 1987, a marketing extravaganza par excellence known as Visit Thailand Year, united the country and REvolutionised global tourism. A new sense of direction will fit perfectly within the Prime Minister’s six-month time frame for getting the industry, and the country, back on its feet. This time, however, we need to ensure that ground under those feet is also firm and stable.

Respectfully yours,

Imtiaz Muqbil
Executive Editor
Travel Impact Newswire

Windhoek, Namibia, June 17, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO’s African Member States will work together to establish a new narrative for tourism across the continent. To better realize tourism’s potential to drive recovery, UNWTO and its Members will also work with the African Union and the private sector to promote the continent to new global audiences through positive, people-centred storytelling and effective branding.

• For the African Tourism portal , Connecting Africa to the World, go to TourismAfrica.org

With tourism recognized as an essential pillar of sustainable and inclusive development for the continent, UNWTO welcomed high-level delegates to the first Regional Conference on Strengthening Brand Africa. The conference featured the participation of the political leadership of host country Namibia, alongside public and private sector leaders from across the continent.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili welcomed the common determination to rethink as well as restart tourism. “African destinations must take the lead in celebrating and promoting the continent’s vibrant culture, youthful energy and entrepreneur spirit, and its rich gastronomy”, he said.

Windhoek Pledge puts people first

African destinations must take the lead in celebrating and promoting the continent’s vibrant culture, youthful energy and entrepreneur spirit, and its rich gastronomy

On the back of a series of workshops and a Ministerial Think Tank, UNWTO’s African Member States unanimously endorsed the Windhoek Pledge on Advocating Brand Africa. Under the terms of the Windhoek Pledge, Members will engage both public and private sector stakeholders as well as local communities to build a new, inspiring narrative for tourism across the continent. They will identify positive, human-centred stories, and through strengthened partnerships with the media, showcase them to the world, reaching new and diverse tourism source markets.

Over the coming weeks, UNWTO will work with all signatories to create a common roadmap towards establishing Brand Africa. This will include establishing common values and goals and identifying funding needs and opportunities as well as providing branding toolkits for destinations, including guidelines and recommendations and training and capacity building in market intelligence, digital marketing and data management.

• For the African Tourism portal , Connecting Africa to the World, go to TourismAfrica.org

Bilateral meetings show support for tourism

Alongside the conference, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, held high-level talks on the restart of tourism with President of Namibia Hage Geingob, as well as with the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and with the African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga

Accra, Ghana, June 17, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Economic Forum, in partnership with the Government of Ghana, is launching the first Country Financing Roadmap (CFR) for SDGs initiative in Africa. The CFR is a country-led initiative – in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Investment Partnership, a joint initiative between the World Economic Forum and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – with concrete solutions to drive greater private sector participation in financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ghana, one of Africa’s leading and most stable economies, faces a number of barriers to meet its SDGs, a situation exacerbated by the extended COVID-19 crisis. The total costs required to achieve the SDGs in Ghana is estimated at $522.3 billion by the end of 2030, averaging around $52.2 billion a year. The current SDG financing gap for the next 10 years is $431.6 billion, with $43 billion just for 2021.

The CFR presents a set of country-led plans to encourage greater financing at scale, especially private-sector participation, to meet the SDGs by 2030. The CFR has focused on financing sustainable infrastructure, a key indicator and driver of economic growth and development, which often hampers the ability of a country to attract sizeable investment if left behind, according to the World Bank. The CFR also focuses on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector as it represents about 85% of business within the private sector and contributes to 70% of GDP, according to the report.

The actions and innovations highlighted by the Ghana CFR were formulated via a multistakeholder process consulting over 50 institutions. They are part of Ghana’s plan to create conditions for the private sector to help propel sustainable growth and create employment opportunities, and to be independent of aid by 2028 (link).

“Ghana has long been committed to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum. “We hope this report will help attract more private capital for sustainable investment opportunities in emerging markets and look forward to continuing to work together.”

“I am delighted that, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, we have produced the Ghana Country Financing Roadmap (CFR) for the SDGs,” said Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana. “It will provide us with a clear indication of the resources required to bridge the SDGs financing gap, and the levels of ambition we need to achieve success in our objectives.”

The report is released in parallel with the World Economic Forum Special Dialogue with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo where he addressed Ghana’s strategic priorities post COVID-19 as the country hosts the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and seeks to create a prosperous environment in neighbouring countries and the West African sub-Saharan region.

Ghana is the first country in which the CFR was released. It is piloting the initiative which will serve as a blueprint for other countries. This effort is funded and supported by the European Commission and the Danish International Development Agency.

London, United Kingdom, Jun 17, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), launch a major new report today, addressing the complex issue of single-use plastic products within Travel & Tourism.

‘Rethinking Single-Use Plastic Products in Travel & Tourism’ launches as countries around the world begins to reopen, and the Travel & Tourism sector starts to show signs of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic which has been devastating.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

The report is a first step to mapping single-use plastic products across the Travel & Tourism value chain, identifying hotspots for environmental leakages, and providing practical and strategic recommendations for businesses and policymakers.

It is intended to help stakeholders take collective steps towards coordinated actions and policies that drive a shift towards reduce and reuse models, in line with circularity principles, as well as current and future waste infrastructures.

The report’s recommendations include redefining unnecessary single-use plastic products in the context of one’s own business; giving contractual preference to suppliers of reusable products; proactively planning procedures that avoid a return to single-use plastic products in the event of disease outbreaks; supporting research and innovation in product design and service models that decrease the use of plastic items, and revising policies and quality standards with waste reduction, and circularity in mind.

Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President and Acting CEO, WTTC said: “WTTC is proud to release this important high-level report for the sector, focusing on sustainability and reducing waste from single-use plastic products in Travel & Tourism. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the sustainability agenda with businesses and policymakers now putting an even stronger focus on it. As a growing priority, businesses are expected to continue to reduce single-use plastic products waste for the future and drive circularity to protect not only our people, but importantly, our planet.

“It is also becoming clear that consumers are making more conscious choices, and increasingly supporting businesses with sustainability front of mind.”

Single-use plastic products can be a threat to the environment and human health and without deliberate effort across the sector, Travel & Tourism can and will contribute significantly to the issue.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had both negative and positive impacts on single-use plastics pollution.

The demand for single-use plastics items has increased with safety being a high concern among tourists and take-away services being on the rise. According to the Thailand Environment Institute, plastic waste has increased from 1,500 tons to a staggering 6,300 tons per day, owing to soaring home deliveries of food.

However, the pandemic has also catalysed consumer demand for green tourism experiences around the world, with a 2019 global study* finding 82% of respondents are aware of plastic waste and are already taking practical actions to tackle pollution.

The report recognises that global solutions are required to address corporate concerns about the use of single-use plastic products. It aims to support informed decision making based on the potential impacts of trade-offs and of unintended burden shifting when considering the transition to sustainable alternatives.

Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of the Economy Division, UNEP said: “Travel & Tourism has a key role to play in addressing the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, as well as making circularity in the use of plastics a reality. 

“The advent of COVID-19 and consequent proliferation of single-use plastic products has added urgency to the crises. With this report, we hope to encourage stakeholders in this industry to come together to address this multifaceted challenge. Only by doing so, can we ensure meaningful and durable change.”

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

With around 90 percent of ocean plastic derived from land-based sources** and the annual damage of plastics to marine ecosystems amounting to US$13 billion per year***, proactively addressing the challenge of plastics within the Travel & Tourism sector is key.