UNWTO Secretary General Calls Upon The Tourism Sector To Speak With One Voice
Working together to ensure that global policies are supportive of the sustainable growth of tourism and position travel and tourism as one industry speaking with one voice were some of the challenges highlighted by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, speaking on the occasion of the opening of this years ITB Travel Trade Show (Berlin, Germany, 10-14 March 2010).4
ITB 2010 kicks off as the tourism industry is starting to leave behind one of the most difficult years of its history, after international tourist arrivals fell by 4% in 2009, while earnings are estimated to have fallen by approximately 6%.
The return of growth to international tourism in the last quarter of 2009 and the first results from January 2010 suggest that recuperation is underway. In this framework, UNWTO forecasts a growth of 3% to 4% in international tourist arrivals for 2010.
"Though there are positive signs emerging from the global economy, we all recognize that recovery is still weak, uneven, easily reversible and that many downside risks remain", said Mr. Rifai. "It is therefore key to devise ways for tourism to be well positioned in any new economic cycle", he added.
