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The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released a series of resources to help formulate a sector-wide response to the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having last month released the first set of global recommendations to support jobs and economies through tourism, the UNWTO's most recent meeting saw the body change emphasis towards restarting the industry, endorsing its Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism, an action plan focused on the Priorities for Tourism Recovery.

The most recent meeting also saw the Government of Greece's representatives present a ‘White Paper on Recommendations for Restarting Tourism’, on behalf of UNWTO’s European COVID-19 Task Force while the Government of Spain introduced its ‘Guidelines for Reducing Coronavirus Infection in the Tourism Industry’, which serves as a pilot project for UNWTO.

Guidelines to Restart Tourism
A comprehensive set of measures for a strong and sustainable recovery.

Priorities for Tourism Recovery
These are the basis for the action plan laid out in the Guidelines to Restart Tourism.

Leading Tourism’s Response
UNWTO has been providing the analytical insights needed for a better understanding and more effective response to the pandemic, by:

• Releasing regular updates of global travel restrictions
• Generating up-to-date data of COVID-19’s impact on tourism
• Offering a worldwide overview of measures to support tourism

Tourism’s COVID-19 response has been furthered by UNWTO by

• Preparing the UNWTO Recommendations for Action – Supporting Jobs And Economies Through Travel and Tourism
• Producing a Technical Assistance Package
• Formulating an inclusive response to protect vulnerable groups - www.unwto.org/covid-19-inclusive-response-vulnerable-groups
• Response through Innovation, Digital Transformation & Investments
• International Protection of Tourists
• General awareness raising through the #TravelTomorrow campaign, promoted also by countries, destinations, private sector and media, including a landmark agreement with CNN International

Global Tourism Crisis Committee
The Committee comprises representatives of UNWTO’s Member States and private sector Affiliate Members, alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the World Bank, as well as the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The private sector is represented by Airports Council International (ACI), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Australia is not a member of the UNWTO having withdrawn from the body in 2014.

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23rd January 2020 - Global tourism initiative to combat plastic pollution

17th January 2020 - Latest international tourism data shows gains and losses

21st November 2018 - New UNWTO Report helps cities manage impacts of ‘overtourism’

3rd February 2017 - UNESCO and UNWTO combine to launch 2017 as International Year of Sustainable Tourism

15th March 2016 - UNWTO head advocates for safer, easier travel in 2016

12th December 2014 - Anger over Australia’s withdrawl from UNWTO

11th February 2014 - UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai addresses 2014 CAUTHE Conference

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