The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) made an urgent call to governments around the world to develop a package of actions so that the impact of the Covid-19 health crisis is not greater and Don’t put tourism, which is the backbone of the world economy, at risk.
Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of the WTTC, recognized that the priority at this time must be health and safeguard the lives of the thousands of people affected by this virus. However, he affirmed that it is essential that governments implement measures to avoid a greater economic impact.
According to the WTTC, travel and tourism contribute 10.4% of world GDP, generate one of every 10 jobs in the world and, for eight consecutive years, has outpaced the growth of the world economy, which is why it is decisive Governments take action as soon as possible to help ensure the survival of this sector.
He warned that if governments do not learn from the experiences of other nations to avoid massive infections, there is a risk of losing millions of jobs and directly affecting all those families that depend on tourism.
To counter this, the WTTC, which represents the global private travel and tourism sector, calls on the governments of all countries to take immediate measures to help ensure the survival of this important job-generating sector. Not soon, not in a few weeks, NOW. Any delay will be reflected in the loss of millions of jobs and innumerable damages worldwide.
The WTTC called on governments in all countries to take immediate action to help ensure the survival of tourism, which is an important sector for job creation. Without timely support, any delay will cost millions of lost jobs and untold damage worldwide.
It is important that governments work on the following measures:
1.- Grant financial aid to protect the employment of the millions of workers in the travel and tourism sector.
2.- Governments should grant vital, unlimited and interest-free loans to world travel and tourism companies, as well as to small and medium-sized companies, as a stimulus to prevent millions of jobs from collapsing and being lost.
3.- Eliminate tariffs and taxes for passengers and the travel industry, with immediate effect and for a recommended period of 12 months.
The private sector, meanwhile, is taking decisive action to protect its employees and consumers, which will certainly help lessen the problem.
Without travel and tourism, economies around the world will face an existential threat. We need to work hand in hand and with immediate actions to preserve a sector that is key to the recovery of the global economy, “concluded Gloria Guevara Manzo.
We call on the world to take urgent and immediate action to prevent this global health crisis from becoming a global economic catastrophe. Doing nothing is not an option.
We call on all governments to take drastic and decisive action now to preserve and protect the contribution of the Travel and Tourism sector, on which more than 320 million people and their families depend for their livelihood.