4 May 2021: G20 Ministerial Meeting dedicated to the tourism sector
Safe mobility and sustainable tourism are key priorities to lead the relaunch of the sector
April 30th, 2021
The Italian G20 Presidency’s Ministerial Meeting dedicated to the tourism sector will be held on May 4th, via videoconference.
The topics of the meeting are included in the framework of the G20 agenda, which continues to be focused on mending the wounds caused by the pandemic and aims to define the policies needed to build a better normal and ensure the relaunch of sustainable and inclusive growth.
According to data by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Travel and Tourism Council , the tourism sector – one of the largest aggregate factors of the global economy, creating 1 in 4 jobs in the world between 2014-2019 – lost over 2.5 USD trillion in direct GDP in 2020, with the number of international travelers going back 30 years. International action and coordination are urgent.
The overarching priorities of Italy’s G20 Presidency – People, Planet andProsperity – are reflected in a set of G20 Guidelines for the future of tourism, a legacy to be approved by the Tourism Ministers on May 4th.
The guidelines, developed in collaboration with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), address seven policy areas: Safe mobility, Crisis management, Resilience, Inclusiveness, Green transformation, Digital Transition; Investment and Infrastructure.
The first priority – ensuring Safe Mobility – is crucial to restore confidence in international tourism, as well as for the wider economy. The G20 will commit to support, complement, and co-ordinate with the main international initiatives currently being developed for safe international mobility, including the Green Digital Certificate in the EU.
The G20 will also focus on the Green Transformation of the tourism industry and on the need to support the evolution of global tourism in a sustainable direction. Following two Tourism Working Group meetings (4-5 March and 29 April), the Ministers’ meeting on May 4th will define measures to steer the recovery of this key sector, which represents around 1 in 10 jobs globally.
For the press: the Media Handbook of the event is available here