Tourism and Travel can support the G20 stimulation programmes. It creates jobs, boosts development and promotes open, two way trade. It can also play a part in the transformation towards a new Green Economy. China’s vibrant tourism sector can become a model for other nations and a world leader.

China can lead Tourism’s Support of the G20 Programme
Hainan, China / Madrid, Spain 22 April 2009

Tourism and Travel can support the G20 stimulation programmes. It creates jobs, boosts development and promotes open, two way trade. It can also play a part in the transformation towards a new Green Economy. China’s vibrant tourism sector can become a model for other nations and a world leader.


Addressing the Boao Forum for Asia on “Tourism and the Financial Crisis” UNWTO Assistant Secretary-General Geoffrey Lipman explained that tourism – business and leisure travel - can play a role in the G20 led economic recovery. “Tourism is a service industry and that means people – not only in the sector but throughout the value chain. In areas such as manufacturing for transport, construction for infrastructure and agriculture for food”. He added “It’s also a development lifeline – for the poorest countries; tourism is a major export. China, which has emerged as a world leader in tourism, is on course to becoming the top domestic, inbound and outbound market in the world and thus has a vital role to play.”

The Chairman of China’s National Tourism Administration (CNTA), Shao Qiwei affirmed that China’s actions to counter the financial crisis would help global tourism. “Policies from both central government and local governments to boost consumption will sustain domestic and outbound tourism.” He added that “reviving global tourism needed efforts from all countries and regions. China would contribute its part, with other nations, to help the industry recover.”

UNWTO is also calling for recognition of the potential for the sector to contribute to the long-term transformation to a Green Economy, based on reduced carbon outputs, clean energy and new technologies. Mr. Lipman said that “we account for 5% of carbon emissions and we have to fix that in line with new norms, which will be developed at the UNFCCC in Copenhagen at the end of this year – in a timely, globally meaningful and appropriately differentiated way. So we need smart tourism that links wise growth with clear carbon reduction. We must adapt, mitigate and use technology as never before. And we must secure financing for the poorest countries to stay in the game.”

The meeting took place on Hainan Island, which is being developed as an international Tourism Island by China, with the support of UNWTO.


Notes for Media

    * UNWTO is developing a Roadmap for Recovery with an emphasis on both stimulus and the Green Economy.
    * With regards to stimulus, it has created a Resilience Committee to gather market information, increase responsiveness and share good practice initiatives, using modern ICT for constant referencing and updating.
    * Asian countries have been amongst the first to respond by including tourism in their stimulus programmes - with an array of measures ranging from fiscal, financial, export, promotional, travel facilitation, training to infrastructure measures.
    * As for the Green Economy, it has been working closely with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to create a multi-stakeholder, climate response driven by a continuous series of global and regional tourism ministerial meetings.
    * The Davos Declaration Process in 2007 identified guidelines for governments, the private sector and civil society. It also delivered seminal research on the impact of climate change, on tourism and on our total and component carbon footprint. This research is now being expanded upon with the assistance of the World Economic Forum and leading travel and transport companies. Together they are exploring ways for the industry to grow while reducing carbon impacts, and to continue to capitalize on travel and tourism’s positive influence on trade, employment and development.