Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles, May 24, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Efforts in Seychelles to protect more of its ocean territory have been given an added boost with the island nation now represented on the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project.

Former President James Michel is one of the five ocean ambassadors of the project which is supporting an initiative for Blue Nature Alliance aimed at securing the protection of large parts of the ocean.

The initiative of this new partnership seeks to protect 18 million square kilometres of the ocean over the next five years and will bring a broad range of stakeholders together to achieve these goals, Michel announced on his website recently.

“As an ambassador of the Pew-Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project, I am happy that Seychelles is included in the initiative and also covers the ocean spaces of many other island nations in the world,” said the former head of state.

Michel added that “this is a laudable initiative which should serve as a catalyst for other leaders of nations and organisations to emulate so that the target of protecting 30 percent of our ocean by 2030 can be achieved earlier.”

The Pew Bertarelli ocean ambassadors are a group of global leaders with a shared interest in safeguarding our ocean for generations to come.

The five ocean ambassadors intend to play a key role in advancing a strategy to secure and implement marine protected areas (MPAs) around the world by advocating for a healthier and more resilient ocean.

Working with the Bertarelli Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts, the ambassadors will strive to bring sustained public attention to the threats facing the ocean—from harmful fishing practices to the devastating impact of climate change—and how MPAs can aid in restoring and sustaining healthy marine ecosystems.

Fully protected marine reserves can help mitigate the effects of a changing climate, secure long-term economic growth for local economies, and safeguard cultural and traditional practices in coastal and island communities.

The Blue Nature Alliance ‒ a new partnership between Conservation International, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Global Environment Facility, Minderoo Foundation, and the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation ‒ is working to conserve 18 million square kilometres over the next five years.

Shubash Lohani, a project director with Blue Nature Alliance, said the alliance “aims to support the conservation of 18 million square kilometres (6.9 million square miles) through the creation of new protected areas and expansion, improved management, or increased protections in existing ones,” said Lohani.

According to the project director, the alliance will invest in places that are significant to ocean biodiversity and people to achieve the highest level of protection possible while recognising the rights of indigenous peoples and working alongside local communities.”

“In addition to MPAs, Blue Nature Alliance will also support other effective area-based conservation measures, and innovative place-based interventions designed to achieve biodiversity conservation outcomes,” added Lohani.

The other Pew Bertarelli Ocean ambassadors are Diva Amon, director of the Trinidad and Tobago-based SpeSeas; David Cameron, former United Kingdom prime minister; Carlotta Leon Guerrero, executive director of the Guam-based Ayuda Foundation; and  Heraldo Muñoz, former Chilean minister of foreign affairs.

One year ago, Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean – legally designated 30 percent of its territorial waters as marine protected areas 10 years ahead of international targets.

With the historic marine designation in March 2020, the island nation tripled the goal of having 10 percent of its marine area protected by 2030. The UN Convention of Biological Diversity Target 11 and the UN Sustainable Development Goal SDG-14 both call for 10 percent marine protection by 2030.

The 30 percent represents 13 new areas now protected under the National Parks and Nature Conservancy Act, totalling 410,000 square kilometres of the island nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.4 million square kilometres.

This is part of the Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan – a first comprehensive, large-scale Marine Spatial Plan in the western Indian Ocean, one of the first for a Small Island Developing State, and the largest Marine Spatial Plan in the world, after Norway.

First published at Seychelles News Agency

Copenhagen, Denamrk, May 24, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Green Key is very proud to announce its new criteria and explanatory notes taking effect from 1 January 2022 and valid until 31 December 2025. Green Key International and the Green Key National Operators have been working on the revision of its requirements for the past 1.5 years. The revision has also included a hearing process involving the hotel chain partners and other external partners as well as encouraging the public and participating establishments to give input to the new standard.

Madrid, Spain, May 22, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The cultural diversity and knowledge of indigenous peoples can bring innovative experiences and new business opportunities for tourism destinations and local communities, and help them recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on this, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has partnered with the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) on a set of guidelines, designed to ensure this type of experiences are respectful and led by the indigenous communities themselves.

The new UNWTO Inclusive Recovery Guide, Issue 4: Indigenous Communities, is the fourth set of guidelines addressing the socio-cultural impacts of COVID-19 issued by UNWTO. The partners call for placing Indigenous communities at the centre of recovery plans and for partnerships geared towards gathering accurate data on Indigenous tourism, and how it has been affected by the pandemic.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

These recommendations draw on the partners’ expertise and set out solutions for the socio-economic empowerment of Indigenous Peoples through tourism. These include transitioning from “assisting” to “enabling” indigenous entrepreneurship, strengthening skills and building capacities, fostering digital literacy for running tourism businesses, and acknowledging the relevance of indigenous peoples by destination authorities and the tourism sector overall.

The Guide, launched on the occasion of the International Day of Cultural Diversity, builds on the decade-long partnership between UNWTO and WINTA. The two organizations work together to enable indigenous communities untap their tourism potential and promote their success stories. The most recent collaboration, the Weaving the Recovery Project, focuses on empowering Indigenous women through responsible tourism experiences and indigenous artisanship in Latin America.

The recommendations also benefitted from inputs provided by the Organization for the Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In recent years, the OECD has also significantly advanced its policy research and promotion of good practices and networks championing indigenous tourism within its Member countries.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

UNWTO stands ready to support platforms which reinforce indigenous peoples’ networks, making them the ultimate decision makers of tourism operations affecting their livelihoods.

Macao, Macao SAR, May 22, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The Tourism Development Committee (CDT, on its Portuguese acronym) convened the first Plenary Meeting of 2021 on May 18, presided over by Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and Committee Chairperson, Lei Wai Nong. Various CDT members raised opinions and suggestions on Macao’s tourism development as well as tourism and economic recovery.

Secretary Lei Wai Nong stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has posed immense challenges for the SAR Government and society of Macao. But thanks to the efforts of different sectors, Macao has attained progressive achievement towards tourism recovery at the stage. He expressed gratitude to the travel trade for their continuous great support to the administration of the Macao SAR Government, as well as for their concerted efforts and contribution to the city’s fight against the pandemic and march towards economic recovery.

He indicated that with the implementation of the scheme “to expand visitor source, revive the economy and secure employment opportunities” and the “2021 Scheme for Employment Security, Economic Stabilization and Care for Residents’ Livelihood”, as well as the work of vaccination in progress, Macao’s tourism and economy is expected to grow steadily.

Secretary Lei emphasized that the SAR Government will continue to collect opinions for the work to more systemically deepen cross-sector integration of “tourism +”, elevate competitiveness of Macao’s tourism industry and steer other emerging industries towards growth. At the same time, the Government will make strenuous efforts to expand the spectrum of visitor source, spur economic revival and secure the labour market.

He hopes that the trade can capitalize on the peak period of summer holidays to strengthen “tourism +” synergy and promote special offers, conveying warm hospitality to visitors and extending their length of stay so that the tourism industry can be revived to a greater extent.

Deputy Directors of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Cheng Wai Tong and Ricky Hoi, presented an overview of Macao’s current tourism situation, as well as the latest progress of tourism recovery. Provisional figures revealed that in the first four months of 2021, average daily visitor arrivals and average hotel occupancy rate both showed an upward trend in general. The average daily volume of visitor arrivals rose from 18,000 in January 2021 to 26,600 in April 2021. In terms of average hotel occupancy rate, the average rate of January was 41% while that of April rose to 60.1%. The average hotel occupancy rate throughout the 1st May Labour Day Holidays (1 – 5 May) even reached 83.2%, a surge of 23.1 percentage points from April. The average of length of visitors’ stay from January to April 2021 was 1.7 days (year-on-year rise of 0.2 day) whereas the average length of stay of overnight-stay visitors was 3 days (year-on-year rise of 0.3 day).

As of the end of April 2021, through the scheme “to expand visitor source, revive the economy and secure employment opportunities”, the SAR Government distributed 3.62 million cash vouchers with a total of RMB 40.29 million cashed, which drove a transaction amount of RMB 888 million. 1.96 million hotel coupons were distributed, with 350,812 room nights redeemed.

To spur tourism revival, the SAR Government has unfolded a series of major initiatives including the “Stay, Dine and See Macao” project, promotions in partnership with e-commerce companies, joint promotions for tourism + MICE, the series of mega promotional events entitled “Macao Week”, etc. In addition, there are the Macao Highlight Tours newly launched by the travel trade, the Macao Grand Prix Museum in operation as well as community tourism, among others.

In terms of destination promotion, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) organized the series of “Macao Weeks” in Hangzhou and Nanjing this year to raise Macao’s profile as a healthy, safe and quality destination and bolster travelers’ confidence. Similar mega promotional events are planned to be staged in various other cities in the Mainland in the upcoming future. Furthermore, MGTO will join hands with Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute to organize Macao tourism and MICE presentation seminars regularly in the Mainland to foster trade exchange and expand business opportunities between Macao and the Mainland.

Different CDT members raised perspectives and suggestions on the following topics: cross-border travel, group travel, wedding travel, supporting MICE facilities, Mainland visitors’ e-payment in Macao, leading visitor flow into communities to benefit small- and medium-sized enterprises, bolstering measures for vaccination, etc. Secretary Lei Wai Nong expressed gratitude to attendees for offering valuable opinions. He hopes that attendees can continue to offer insightful perspectives that may foster Macao’s tourism development and moderate diversification of the economy.

The meeting attendees include Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, Ku Mei Leng; MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, official representatives of the following entities including Secretariat for Economy and Finance, Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, Secretary for Security, Secretariat for Transport and Public Works, Macao Government Tourism Office, Macao Customs Service, Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Labour Affairs Bureau, Economic and Technological Development Bureau, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Municipal Affairs Bureau, Civil Aviation Authority, and Consumer Council, along with representatives of the tourism and other related sectors.

Nairobi, Kenya, May 22, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Africa opens discussion on Anti-Poaching Efforts as African Tourism Showcase gets tourism heavyweights behind their call. Anti-Poaching is the agenda for discussion this coming Sunday the 23rd May 2021. Log-in and see the African Tourism Showcase at 1200hrs UK time on Zoom and Live on Facebook.

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

The Guest of Honour is Honourable Alain St.Ange the former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine and also Dr Taleb Rifai, the former UNWTO Secretary-General. This is Series-4 of the African efforts by Africa to protect and save the unique assets of Africa.

You are invited to join:
Zoom ID: 896 7338 4044
Password: 765830

Madrid, Spain, May 22, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The importance of unlocking the potential of investments for growing African tourism was highlighted as leaders from across the sector met virtually for the 2021 edition of INVESTOUR.

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

Held during the FITUR International Tourism Trade Fair, the 12th edition of the Forum for Tourism Investment and Business (INVESTOUR) united government representatives alongside experts from international organizations and from the private sector. Once again, the event was co-organized by Casa Africa, FITUR and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), building on the latter’s 2030 Agenda for Africa.

This year, the focus was on the importance of promoting sustainable investments to help the sector recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the agenda were the role of public-private partnerships, building resilience, and promoting innovation at every step of the broad tourism value chain.

A roundtable discussion on “Revitalizing Tourism Post-COVID-19”, explored ways to identify and reach new markets and develop new tourism products. Contributing were Mouhamed Faouzou, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Air Transport of Senegal, Dr. Alfonso Vegara, Founder and President of Fundación Metrópoli, and Alberto Virella Gomes, Ambassador-at-Large for the Africa Plan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Senegal. This was followed by a series of investment webinars led by UNWTO experts, with a special focus on sustainability and capacity development.

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

In a message to the INVESTOR delegates, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed the importance of government-initiated Ease of Doing Business reforms and invited delegates to join UNWTO for its 64th Commission for Africa and the 2nd UNWTO Global Tourism Investment Forum in Africa, both to be held in Cabo Verde this September.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 21, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The Ministry of Tourism has announced the appointment of Gloria Guevara Manzo as a Chief Special Advisor at Ministry of Tourism. Gloria is a former Mexican Secretary of Tourism and former CEO and President of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

As a Chief Special Advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Gloria will utilize her experience of over 25 years in the public and private tourism sector, to contribute to strengthening international cooperation, developing the skills of human cadres, and supporting ambitious tourism plans and large-scale investments that are being implemented within the framework of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

• For a comprehensive travel guide on Saudi Arabia, got to TourismSaudiArabia.com

The Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khatib affirmed that the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia is experiencing a comprehensive developmental prosperity since the launch of the National Tourism Strategy in September 2019. the sector already contributes to supporting growth and job generation throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in line with Vision 2030 under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.

Geneva, Switzerland, May 20, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The International Air Transport Association (IATA) applauded the growing number of countries making data and evidence-driven decisions to open their borders to vaccinated travelers. The latest data collected by IATA, including its Timatic service, shows that more than 20 countries have wholly or partially lifted restrictions for vaccinated travelers.

IATA supports unrestricted access to travel for vaccinated travelers. In cases where vaccination is not possible, access to quarantine-free travel should be provided through COVID-19 testing strategies based on widely available, free-of-charge tests.

Germany is among the latest countries to make quarantine alleviations for vaccinated travelers. Vaccinated travelers are no longer subject to quarantine measures (except from certain high-risk countries). Germany has also removed quarantine requirements for travelers with a negative COVID-19 test result (except from certain high-risk countries).

The German government decision followed a review of scientific advice from the world-renowned Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which concluded that vaccinated travelers are no longer significant in the spread of the disease and do not pose a major risk to the German population. Specifically, it stated that vaccination reduces risk of COVID-19 transmission to levels below the risk from a false negative rapid antigen test.

The implementation of this policy aligns Germany with recommendations from both the European Commission and the European Parliament, based on similar scientific advice from the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC). In its interim guidance on the benefits of full vaccination, the ECDC said that “based on the limited evidence available, the likelihood of an infected vaccinated person transmitting the disease is currently assessed to be very low to low.”

Similar conclusions are being reached on the other side of the Atlantic. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has noted that “with a 90% effective vaccine, pre-travel testing, post-travel testing, and 7-day self-quarantine provide minimal additional benefit.”

“A safe opening of borders to international travel is the goal. And scientific evidence and data such as that presented by RKI, ECDC and USC CDC should be the basis for the decision-making needed to achieve that. There is increasing scientific evidence that vaccination is not only protecting people but also dramatically reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This is bringing us closer to a world where vaccination and testing enables the freedom to travel without quarantine. Germany and at least 20 other countries have already taken an important step forward in re-opening their borders to vaccinated travelers. These are the best practice examples for others to quickly follow,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

An Important Incentive for Vaccination

According to the US CDC, alleviations from COVID-19 restrictions are a powerful motivator for vaccination, particularly in communities where vaccine hesitancy is prevalent. This is an additional and important benefit of restriction-free travel for those vaccinated. IATA polling indicates that 81% of international travelers are willing to get vaccinated in order to be able to travel. Moreover, 74% of people in the same poll agreed that those vaccinated should be able to travel by air without restrictions.

Digital Solutions for Vaccination/Test Certificates

The decisions of increasing numbers of countries to accept vaccinated travelers without quarantine measures adds pressure for a digital solution to manage vaccine certificates and COVID-19 test results. Paper-based processes could lead to extremely long processing times at check-in and border control. They also open the door to fraud. Digital vaccine/test certificates, coupled with passenger apps such as the IATA Travel Pass, will be needed to manage travel health credentials efficiently and securely in the restart.

Recent IATA polling shows strong support for a digital solution.

• 89% supported globally standardized COVID-19 test or vaccination certifications
• 84% want an app to manage their travel health credentials

“A gap is opening up between countries responding to scientific evidence, and those exhibiting a lack of preparation or excessive caution in reopening borders. Countries that seize the opportunity offered by the increasing numbers of vaccinated travelers can protect their populations and reap an economic reward,” said Walsh.

Madrid, Spain, May 20, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / At FITUR, the International Spanish Tourism Trade Fair (Madrid, 19-23 May 2021), UNWTO will ensure sustainability, innovation and responsibility are a central part of the conversation. FITUR was the last global in-person trade fair to take place before the COVID-19 pandemic, and is the first one to return, sending a clear message of the resolve of the tourism sector for a safe and responsible restart.

This year’s trade fair will continue the long-standing partnership between UNWTO and FITUR, with the United Nations specialized agency for tourism addressing the most pressing challenges currently facing the sector while also looking to the future and supporting the tourism talent of tomorrow.

Sustainable development takes the lead

The week kicks off with the 25 winners of the UNWTO SDG Global Startup Competition meeting for a special workshop on winning investment for scaling up. On Tuesday 18 May, the top entrepreneurs and innovators will be celebrated at the Royal Theatre in Spain. The hybrid event will celebrate the diversity of the award-winning ideas for advancing the sustainable development goals and the people behind them. The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has commended UNWTO’s leadership in promoting innovation and will send a message to the winners.

Tourism for all

With FITUR officially opening on Wednesday 19 May, UNWTO hosts an expert meeting on Accessible Tourism featuring good practice in accessibility with a particular focus on tourism in rural and natural areas. Sustainability will be the focus of the UNWTO Affiliate Members meeting on Friday 21 May, giving its members – from the private sector, local and regional governments and academia – the opportunity to present their work, and to network both in-person and virtually.

Investment and innovation for development

The 12th edition of the Tourism Investment and Business Forum for Africa (INVESTOUR) will be held virtually on Thursday 20 May. The gathering of public and private sector tourism leaders will focus on the development of effective strategic partnerships, and on assessing possible travel and tourism trends post-pandemic.

On the same day, UNWTO will also feature in FITUR Talent, highlighting the increasingly important role innovation can play in delivering tourism education and training for all. Similarly exploring the potential of technology to create opportunities, this time for destinations, the Round Table on Tourism and Cinema, will see UNWTO and Netflix come together to assess the role TV and film can play in promoting locations and experience.

Madrid, Spain, May 20, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Innovators with ideas to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals have been celebrated in Madrid. The final of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition saw 25 entrepreneurs and enterprises recognized for their creativity and commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 ambitious goals.

Organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), with the support of over 25 partners from across the global innovation ecosystem, this competition is the biggest innovation initiative ever launched by any part of the wider United Nations system. In all, more than 10,000 applications from 138 different countries were received, each of them promising to advance one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Today’s winners can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity

Winners with common goal

“Today’s winners can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in a message congratulating the finalists. Every global region was represented among the 25 winners at the final event in Madrid, held on the eve of the FITUR International Tourism Trade Fair.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili added that “the winners of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition can get us back on track to building a better, more sustainable future for both people and planet”.

The competition final highlighted the power of tourism to help reach the 2030 Agenda through driving progress in waste and resource management, green energy production, destination experiences and decarbonization, as well as through creating decent jobs for all, promoting inclusivity and gender equality and protecting ecosystems.

The winners of the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition can get us back on track to building a better, more sustainable future for both people and planet

Political and corporate support

The event also highlighted the strong level of political support for UNWTO’s mission to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Joining Secretary-General Pololikashvili at Madrid’s Royal Theatre were the Ministers of Tourism of Sri Lanka and Panama, the Ambassador of Qatar to Spain, the Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida and Spain’s Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdés.

Against the backdrop of the final, UNWTO also supported Apolitical and Mastercard during a special panel event on Digital Country Partnerships, highlighting key actors rebuilding tourism through innovation. Special thanks were also given to sponsors and collaborators of the SDGs Global Startup Competition, including the main partner, Wakalua (the innovation hub of Globalia), partner airline Qatar Airways, and collaborators such as Telefonica, Amazon Web Services, Amadeus, amongst others – see the full list here.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres

MESSAGE TO WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION SDG GLOBAL STARTUP COMPETITION

18 May 2021

We have less than 10 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
And we are in the midst of a global pandemic that is setting back progress.
To get back on track, we need to unleash the power of new ideas and embrace a sustainable transformation.

Tourism has a critical role to play, and I commend the United Nations World Tourism Organization for its leadership.

Its SDGs Global Startup Competition is promoting innovation and a better recovery.
The competition attracted more than 10,000 applicants from 138 countries, and the ideas are as diverse as the innovators themselves.

All these startups have the potential to be scaled up and drive a positive transformation in our societies.

They can inspire new ways to accelerate progress towards sustainability, equality and inclusivity.

I thank everyone who has taken part in the UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition, and I look forward to seeing these bright ideas being put into action.