WTTC launches ‘Hotel Sustainability Basics’ initiative to ensure responsible travel and tourism


PTI | Manila | Updated: 24-04-2022 12:30 IST | Created: 24-04-2022 12:30 IST
WTTC launches ‘Hotel Sustainability Basics’ initiative to ensure responsible travel and tourism
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  • Philippines

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched 'Hotel Sustainability Basics', a set of criteria that all hotels are expected to implement to drive responsible travel and tourism, and will help them address their environmental impact.

The initiative was launched at the WTTC's Global Summit, held in Manila from April 20-22, in the presence of Council President and CEO Julia Simpson, WTTC Chairman Arnold Donald, Philippines Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and industry leaders from various countries.

WTTC, which represents the global travel and tourism sector, also launched its new cyber resilience report, 'Codes to resilience', with Microsoft for the global travel and tourism sector, outlining pillars to strengthen cyber security for businesses around the world.

The report shows that while the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the world and the sector into a more digital future, with the opportunities provided by digitalisation, new challenges have emerged, especially in cybercrime.

At the summit, which had the theme of 'Rediscovering Travel', tourism ministers and travel and tourism leaders from around the world reinforced their determination toward greater cooperation and alignment between the public and private sectors.

They also explored how the sector will continue to adapt to COVID-19 and emerge resiliently from the pandemic.

The WTTC also launched its latest Economic Impact Report, which said the travel and tourism sector was expected to create nearly 126 million new jobs within the next decade. It also said the sector's contribution to the GDP could reach pre-pandemic levels by 2023.

"In times of crisis, we have seen the true grit and resilience of the travel and tourism sector. During the pandemic, our airlines transported vaccines and PPE kits, our airports became vaccination centres, and our cruise liners used their connections to help repatriate people. Hotels opened their doors to the homeless and today are giving shelter to thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine," Simpson said.

"The pandemic rewrote the rule book on how we live and how we travel. It showed how totally inter-reliant we are. Businesses and governments need each other to make travel happen. And our whole sector relies on the communities who host us," she said.

The Council also released a report on what makes a city better prepared for travel and tourism growth.

The report, 'Destination 2030: Global cities' readiness for sustainable tourism growth', said that prior to the pandemic, the sector had been outpacing the global economy for almost a decade, with an annual average growth of 4.3 per cent compared to 2.9 per cent through 2019, and a contribution of nearly USD 9.2 trillion to the global economy in the same year.

Melati Wijsen, the 20-year-old Indonesian/Dutch activist who has performed a pivotal function in banning plastic luggage, straws and styrofoam on her dwelling island of Bali, was among the keynote speakers at the summit.

British adventurer Bear Grylls joined the summit via video link. Also, present on stage were American film producer Lawrence Bender and Singapore-born American novelist Kevin Kwan.

"Melati is an inspiration to us all,'' Simpson said. ''A real changemaker, who from such a young age has been instrumental in raising awareness of the damage caused by plastic and has inspired young people around the world to lead change.'' The summit gave the Philippines the opportunity to showcase "how beautiful the country is," Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.

She said the delegates and participants of the summit had shown a tremendous commitment to supporting the recovery and continued growth of the global travel and tourism industry.

The next WTTC Global Summit will take place in Riyadh later this year. Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Board Member of the Saudi Tourism Authority, said, "We are excited to welcome the world to experience the excitement and the energy of Saudi Arabia. We promise you that the next summit will be fresh, inspiring, and rewarding.'' PTI VT NSA

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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