UN tourism organisation splashes cash on a global scale

Farewell to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Hello to UN Tourism. 

Yep. Another rebranding that sounds like it cost a whole lot of money. 

But there is a whole lot of hype to back up the name change. 

"The new brand expression is not only limited to words and messages but also expands into a reinvented visual discourse," says a rather wordy press release explaining the change. 

"UN Tourism has a new design language starting from its symbol. Bringing the world closer' is the new tagline that inspires the concept of a Pangea shaping a human figure in action. 

"This drastic evolution from the former aseptic globe symbol signals the profound humanistic change within the organization. Beyond the symbol, the rebrand also includes a revamp of the entire visual system, which is now based on a grid of geographical coordinates meant to help people navigate the brand’s touchpoints, both offline and online, such as events, website, reports, social media channels and campaigns."

Phew!

But they are not finished. 

"This system unlocks a rich universe of elements including imagery, fonts, colors, and pictograms all designed to personalize social media campaigns, events, posts, and videos. The new brand will be gradually implemented across all UN Tourism touchpoints over the next few months, beginning with digital channels such as the website, social media accounts and newsletters, followed by physical spaces such as offices and events, and elements such as reports and station."

Apparently the new name and brands sees "the organization aim to reaffirm its status as the global leader of tourism for development, driving social and economic change to ensure that 'people and planet' are always center stage."

Leading global branding agency Interbrand was charged with creating "a new visual identity and brand narrative". 

This involved renaming the institution, transitioning from UNWTO to UN Tourism. 

"At the same time, a new brand narrative was meticulously crafted, one that seamlessly aligns with UN Tourism’s central mission and priorities."

The only thing we are not told is how much it cost. 

Tourism bounces back around the globe

International tourism has roared back post-Covid with the industry on track to recover to almost 90% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.

The latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) issued this week shows an estimated 975 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, 2023, an increase of 38% on the same months in 2022.

The newest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer also shows that destinations welcomed 22% more international tourists in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, reflecting a strong northern hemisphere summer season.

It was also revealed that international tourist arrivals hit 91% of pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter, reaching 92% in July, the best month so far since the start of pandemic.

Overall, tourism recovered to 87% of pre-pandemic levels in January-September 2023. That puts the sector on course to recover to almost 90% by the end of the year.

UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili said: "The latest UNWTO data shows that international tourism has almost completely recovered from the unprecedented crisis of Covid-19 with many destinations reaching or even exceeding pre-pandemic arrivals and receipts.

"This is critical for destinations, businesses, and communities where the sector is a major lifeline."

Europe, the world's largest destination region, welcomed 550 million international tourists over the period, 56% of the global total. That represents 94% of pre-pandemic levels. The rebound was supported by robust intra-regional demand as well as strong demand from the United States.

Asia and the Pacific reached just 62% of pre-pandemic levels this period due to slower reopening to international travel, the UNWTO said.

Image: Carmen Ramon Cami, Scop.io 

Rioja: a great place for a wine tourism talkfest

Logrono looks like a great spot for a junket. 

It is in the Rioja wine region in Spain and this week hosted the UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism.

The tourism organisation reports that the conference had “the focus placed firmly on inclusion and sustainability for local communities and territories”.

But what was done? 

A few platitudes are forthcoming as we were told the event decided “paving the way towards inclusive growth, especially in rural areas, requires clear policies and a commitment to embracing digital transformation and innovation. Recognizing this, the conference brought together key stakeholders and leaders from across the growing wine tourism sector to address priorities including education, skills development and the effective use of data.”

What they actually decided remains a mystery. 

We do know the event welcomed thought-leaders - such a great phrase - from both emerging and established wine destinations, including Argentina, Armenia, Chile, France, Germany, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and the US. 

“As well as celebrating the growing interest in wine tourism, the event made clear the challenges for building more competitive destinations and transforming demand into economic growth and social inclusion. Over two days, workshops and masterclasses focused on:

• Skills development and a better understanding of the impacts and trends of wine tourism were identified as crucial elements to create value and promote wine regions, ultimately enhancing their competitiveness.

• With the impact of climate change affecting the sector, experts debated how to progress sustainability in wine tourism as well and progress digitalization for better processes. Participants discussed the need to harmonise data collection, the use of new data sources and innovative strategies for expanding new products, outreach on social media, utilizing cutting-edge digital tools, and leveraging new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to create knowledge and a seamless experience.”

OK.  

I’m not sure we are any the wiser. But I’m sure everyone had a great time. 

Australia was not officially represented, as far as I am aware.

Maybe next time, when the conference will be hosted in that global hotbed of wine tourism: Armenia. 

Making tourism easier for people with disabilities

Travelling with a disability can be difficult. 

Even able-bodied people can struggle to cope with stairs,  access to public transport, and poorly designed public spaces. 

With 1.3 billion people globally estimated to have a significant disability, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) says it has joined with key partners to further make tourism more accessible to all.

The UNWTO Conference on Accessible Tourism was held for a second time in San Marino this week, powered by the Ministry of Tourism of Italy and in partnership with the European Accessibility Resource Centre - AccessibleEU, an initiative of the European Commission. 

The result was San Marino Agenda, "a clean action plan for disability inclusion in every part of the tourism sector".

Talk is, of course easy. Action is much harder. 

At this year's two-day event, over 200 delegates discussed policy advances such as the international standard ISO 21902, which caters both to host communities and visitors, and covers the entire tourism value chain. 

The event featured a ministerial toundtable, bringing together San Marino, Italy, Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan, Czechia and Israel, to discuss governments' roles in advancing accessibility through policies, strategies and standards.

Innovation in accessible tourism was one of the key themes, with speakers presenting new solutions in access to transportation, leisure, MICE and tourism services. 

These included SEATRAC helping wheelchair users to bathe in Greece, city-wide Braille touchpoints and the first certified blind tour guides in Cape Town, and the fully accessible waterfront in Rimini.

Small steps. 

With one in six people expected to reach the age of 65 by 2050 more action is clearly needed. 

"Baby boomers" already account for over one third of the EU population and 70% of the EU citizens with disability have financial means to travel.

So that's a key driver. Money talks. 

 

The UNWTO said: "The Action Agenda is seen as a game changer for disability inclusion and tourism's contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, with a commitment from it's those attending the conference to achieving concrete results.

"It includes measures to advance training, develop measurement systems and increase industry awareness of the advantages of a diverse workplace."

Image: Matt Doheny, Scop.io

So many lessons to be learned about wine tourism

Wine Tourism is a boom industry around the globe. 

South Africa, Argentina and the US are among the nations leading the way, while many Australian operators still lag behind. 

UN World Tourism Organisation will hold a global conference on wine tourism in La Rioja, Spain, from November 22-24. I wonder how many Australian operators will be in attendance? 

The event will feature diverse industry players around data, governance, innovation, sustainability, and skills and is being co-organised by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Government of La Rioja and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain. 

The focus will be on the pivotal role of this sector in promoting rural development, sustainable practices, and regional regeneration against the backdrop of a landscape where tradition converges with technology. 

The conference will aim to shine a light on the seamless integration of wine tourism with the evolving preferences of tourists. 

The program will address innovative digital tools and the exploration of new strategies to amplify outreach via social media platforms, reaching larger audiences and increasing visitor flow. 

A lot to learn here for operators who find it too difficult to re-Tweet, or re-post on Facebook. 

The conference will also underscore the importance of identifying and fostering skills development to enhance expertise, knowledge, and service quality, as a precursor to crafting a vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive wine tourism industry. 

Also under the microscope: how data can play a significant role in shaping wine tourism. 

Attendees will explore the mapping of existing metrics and methodologies to quantify wine tourism to create common frameworks. 

Nurturing sustainability and rural development for the future will also be discussed, while destination managers and experts will showcase sustainable practices that embrace the principles of the circular economy. 

There will also be sessions that will explore the fusion of wine with gastronomy, art and culture, its synergies with communication, branding, technology, events, and sustainability. 

See https://www.unwto.org/

Global tourism is bouncing back, says UNWTO

International tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels, with twice as many people travelling during the first quarter of 2023 than in the same period of 2022.

That's the very positive news from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

The second UNWTO World Tourism barometer of the year shows that the sector’s swift recovery has continued into 2023. 

It reveals that overall international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023; and that an estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months of the year, more than double the same period of 2022.

The UNWTO says tourism has continued to show its resilience with revised data for 2022 showing over 960 million tourists travelling internationally last year, meaning two-thirds (66%) of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered.

Driven by strong intra-regional demand. Africa reached 88% and the Americas about 85% of 2019 levels while Asia and the Pacific lagged behind with 54% of pre-pandemic levels.

This upward trend is set to accelerate now that most destinations, particularly China, have re-opened.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The start of the year has shown again tourism’s unique ability to bounce back. In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals.

"We must, however, remain alert to challenges ranging from geopolitical insecurity, staffing shortages, and the potential impact of the cost-of-living crisis on tourism, and we must ensure tourism’s return delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency and as a driver of inclusive development.”

Image: Zeina Kassem, Scop.io 

Tourism figures continue to soar around the globe

International tourism is on track to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022 as the travel industry continues to bounce back from the pandemic.

An estimated 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, more than double (+133%) the number recorded for the same period in 2021.

This equates to 63% of 2019 levels and puts the sector on course to reach 65% of its pre-pandemic levels this year, in line with United Nations World Tourism Organisation predictions.

The UNWTO said results were boosted by strong pent-up demand, improved confidence levels and the lifting of restrictions in an increasing number of destinations.

Europe continues to lead the rebound. The continent welcomed 477 million international arrivals in January-September 2022 (68% of the world total), hitting 81% of pre-pandemic levels.

This was more than double that of 2021 (+126%) with results boosted by strong intra-regional demand and travel from the United States. Europe saw particularly robust performance in Q3, when arrivals reached almost 90% of 2019 levels.

At the same time, the Middle East saw international arrivals more than triple (+225%) year on year in January-September 2022, climbing to 77% of pre-pandemic levels.

Africa (+166%) and the Americas (+106%) also recorded strong growth compared to 2021, reaching 63% and 66% of 2019 levels, respectively. In Asia and the Pacific (+230%) arrivals more than tripled in the first nine months of 2022, reflecting the opening of many destinations, including Japan at the end of September.

Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific remained 83% below 2019 levels as China, a key source market for the region, remains closed.

Destinations reporting arrivals above pre-pandemic levels in the nine months through September include Albania, Ethiopia, Honduras, Andorra, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, El Salvador and Iceland.

Tourism conference unveiled for later this month

Imagine being a major tourism organisation and then announcing that your global conference will be held later in the month.

Have these tourism "experts" not noticed how hard it is to get a flight - and failed to note that the end of November is painfully close to Christmas;  a peak time for travel agents and tourism operators.

Apparently not.

A press release dropped yesterday saying that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will jointly organise the 6th World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2022 from November 28-30 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Themed “Tourism Futures Reimagined”, the conference aims to provide an "interdisciplinary platform" (how very newspeak) that champions thought leadership on tourism futures and strategies driving tourism's recovery and resilience in a post-pandemic world.

OK. we know that jargon will be to the forefront for those that do manage to get to the event.

WTC 2022 will apparently feature a line-up of "world-renowned" speakers over four sessions.

Malaysia reopened its international borders on April1.

That's all I've got.

Tourism industry bounces back

The tourism industry continues to recover at a strong pace around the world.

Globally, destinations welcomed almost three times as many international arrivals in the first quarter of 2022 as during the same period of 2021, with Europe leading the sector’s rebound.

The latest United Nations World Tourism Organization Barometer saw a 182% year-on-year increase in January-March 2022, with destinations worldwide welcoming an estimated 117 million international arrivals compared to 41 million in Q1 2021.

Of the extra 76 million international arrivals for the first three months, about 47 million were recorded in March, showing that the recovery is gathering pace.

UNWTO data shows that during the first quarter of 2022, Europe welcomed almost four times as many international arrivals (+280%) as in Q1 of 2021, with results driven by strong intra-regional demand.

In the Americas arrivals more than doubled (+117%) in the same three months. But arrivals in Europe and the Americas were still 43% and 46% below 2019 levels respectively.

The Middle East (+132%) and Africa (+96%) also saw strong growth in Q1 2022 compared to 2021, but arrivals remained 59% and 61% below 2019 levels respectively.

Asia and the Pacific recorded a 64% increase over 2021 but again, levels were 93% below 2019 numbers as several destinations remained closed to non-essential travel.

Although international tourism remains 61% below 2019 levels, the gradual recovery is expected to continue throughout 2022, as more destinations ease or lift travel restrictions and pent-up demand is unleashed.

As of June 2, 45 destinations (of which 31 are in Europe) had no Covid-19 related restrictions in place. In Asia, an increasing number of destinations have started to ease those restrictions.

Despite these positive prospects, a challenging economic environment coupled with the military offensive of the Russian Federation in Ukraine pose a downside risk to the ongoing recovery of international tourism.

Global tourism was bouncing back, then came Omicron

After a weak first half of 2021, international tourism rebounded during the northern hemisphere summer season, boosting results in the third quarter of the year, especially in Europe.

Then came Omicron.

The newest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, issued today, shows international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) increased by 58% in July-September compared to the same period of 2020.

But they remained 64% below 2019 levels.

Europe recorded the best relative performance in the third quarter, with international arrivals 53% down on the same three-month period of 2019. In August and September arrivals were at -63% compared to 2019, the best monthly results since the start of the pandemic.

Between January and September, worldwide international tourist arrivals stood at -20% compared to 2020, a clear improvement over on the first six months of the year (-54%).

Nonetheless, overall arrivals are still 76% below pre-pandemic levels with uneven performances among world regions.

In some sub regions - southern and Mediterranean Europe, the Caribbean, North and Central America - arrivals actually rose above 2020 levels in the first nine months of 2021.

UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Data for the third quarter of 2021 is encouraging. However, arrivals are still 76% below pre-pandemic levels and results across the different global regions remain uneven.

@In light of the rising cases and the emergence of new variants we cannot let our guard down and need to continue our efforts to ensure equal access to vaccinations, coordinate travel procedures, make use of digital vaccination certificates to facilitate mobility and continue to support the sector.”