The first WTTC Europe Leaders Forum took place in Lisbon, Portugal, September 11, 2018.
The event was hosted by the Portuguese Ministry of Tourism and brought together more than 150 leaders from around the region, including Manuel Caldeira Cabra, the minister of economy in Portugal; Ana Godinho, secretary of state for tourism in Portugal; Elena Kountoura, Greece's minister of tourism; Peter Fankhauser, CEO of Thomas Cook; Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises; and Kike Sarasola, president and founder, Room Mate Hotels & BeMate.com.
WTTC president and CEO, Gloria Guevara addressed the group, noting the impact travel and tourism has around the world.
"Travel and tourism account for 10.4 percent of the world's GDP and 1 in 10 jobs and has consistently outperformed the economy as a whole," said Guevara.
Europe is on pace when it comes to the impact the travel market has on GDP.
"Here in Europe, which attracts more than half of global international arrivals, travel and tourism contributes 9.9 percent to GDP and, in 2017, the sector grew more than twice as fast as the rest of the economy. IATA is forecasting an additional 1.5 billion passengers a year in Europe by 2036," she noted.
"The challenge for the future is to ensure that growth is maintained and is sustainable, providing benefits for local communities, be they in large cities or remote rural areas, and ensuring a great experience for the traveler," Guevara continued.
She highlighted three areas of opportunity for Europe:
-Growth needs to be sustainable, planned for the long-term and with communities at the center of planning, to ensure that growth is inclusive and positively benefits the people of Europe.
-Crisis preparedness, where destinations and the private sector work together to learn from previous experience and ensure an integrated approach to dealing with crises such as extreme weather events, health pandemics and terrorism.
-Improve efficiency and travel security through the use of technologies such as biometrics, which put a seamless traveler journey at the center and expands capacity to capitalize on growth opportunities.
"WTTC calls for action in these areas so that Europe maintains competitiveness and maximizes future job creation through Travel & Tourism. Europe is a large and important tourism market but it is important that its leaders do not take this for granted. WTTC is delighted to pledge our support to European travel and tourism in this journey," added Guevara.
In addition, she called out Portugal as a tourism powerhouse. The country has seen a boom in visitors over the past few years.
"Portugal is a great example of one of Europe's mature yet growing destinations," Guevara said. "Last year, tourism contributed 17 percent of Portugal's economy and supported 1 in 5 jobs. Travel and tourism grew three times faster than the country's economy as a whole. The focus on investment, as showcased by the 'Invest in Portugal' program and long-term planning evidenced in the country's Tourism Strategy 2027, shows the Portuguese government's commitment to our sector and I am delighted that we have been able to showcase that through our first WTTC Europe Leaders Forum."
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