The World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) long-awaited 2021 Global Summit in Cancun, Mexico began with major praise for the industry's response to the ongoing pandemic and a call for the public and private sectors to work together to aid a post-COVID-19 recovery.
"While 2020 was not the year we expected it to be, it was a year during which people really came together. We saw our sector join forces to support our workforce and the local communities that host us," WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said during her opening comments to the delegation on Monday. "From using our facilities as emergency hospitals and offering hotel rooms to doctors and nurses; to providing free meals to millions and transforming convention centers in medical facilities. We have seen an amazing response."
"One thing has been clear, our members, the leaders and captains of our sector have truly stepped up; I am very proud. I have learned through their example that leadership matters, especially during such difficult times," she added. "What is clear is that we are not going back to 2019; we are moving forward. travel and tourism will come out of this crisis stronger and better. But to do so, it is crucial we continue working together to achieve recovery both financially and socially. We need to be united."
Guevara said that this year's summit theme, "Uniting the World for Recovery," highlights the aim to capitalize on the crisis by making it an opportunity to improve inclusivity and sustainability. "As we accelerate our recovery, we need to redouble our efforts to remove barriers to mobility, remove quarantines, focus on testing and accelerate the vaccination rollout globally, while continuing to support safety protocols," she said.
During the summit's Global Leaders Dialogue session, some of the world's leading tourism ministers and business leaders urged the public and private sectors to work together in partnership to help save travel and tourism. Kevin McAleenan, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, advocated for a pragmatic risk-management approach to help recover international travel while Colombian Vice Minister of Tourism, Julian Guerrero Orozco, warned against the prolonged use of health passports as a potential barrier to travel.
Citing WTTC research, Guevara said that the COVID-19 crisis has been 18 times worse than the 2008 financial crash. "It was hugely encouraging to see there was common agreement by all those attending that collaboration and cooperation between the public and private sector, would lead the way for the revival of international travel," she said. "This will be critical to powering the world's recovery, so we are indebted to those ministers who joined us today to be part of this amazing event and help kickstart our Global Summit and energize the sector to unite and make a difference."
"Our sector is one that provides opportunities, reduces poverty, brings hope, and not only changes lives but changes the world. This is the beginning of a new chapter, the beginning of the recovery. We have much work to do and if we are united we can change the lives of the millions that depend on us," Guevara concluded in her opening remarks on Monday.
The 2021 WTTC Global Summit runs through Tuesday, April 27.
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