G20 Tourism Ministers was concluded today by issuing a final communique which reads as follows: "We, the G20 Tourism Ministers, met under Saudi Arabia's G20 Presidency to address the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic; promote recovery of the travel and tourism sector and realize its potential to drive faster economic recovery post health crisis; maximize the sector's contribution to inclusive and sustainable development; and further develop the sector as a key and resilient industry, contributing to the global economy and generating decent work. We highlight the crucial role of tourism as a means of sustainable socio-economic development. The travel and tourism sector contributed to 10.3% of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 330 million jobs (direct, indirect, and induced) in 2019. It accounted for 28% of the world's service exports in 2019, and it generates a greater impact on domestic economies than overall exports. The sector also has a workforce comprised of 54% women, compared to 39% in the broader global economy. We welcome the progress achieved during Saudi Arabia's G20 Presidency on key topics, including global commitments made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the progression of inclusive community development through tourism, and the advancement of safe and seamless travel and improved traveler experience. Tourism Response to COVID-19 We stress that the travel and tourism sector is one of the most heavily impacted sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic, with an anticipated 60-80% decline in international tourism in 2020. We recognize that COVID-19 may result in a paradigm shift for the travel and tourism sector. We reaffirm our commitment to the actions agreed upon in the G20 Tourism Ministers' Statement on COVID-19 of April 24, 2020, and the commitments made during Japan's 2019 Presidency on Actions for Strengthening the Resiliency of Tourism. We will continue to work together through international and public-private cooperation to facilitate the sector's recovery from the pandemic and support those most impacted by the crisis within the sector, including micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and developing economies that rely on travel and tourism, especially in Africa and small island states. We reiterate our commitment to work with our relevant authorities to ensure the safety of travelers and to ensure that the introduction and removal of travel restrictions, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, are coordinated and proportionate to the national and international situation. We acknowledge that the pandemic has created challenges and opportunities in crisis management in the travel and tourism sector. In order to improve response capabilities to uncertain and volatile crises and rebuild the trust of travelers, we commit to continue sharing knowledge, experiences, and good practices in each phase as follows: (i) prevention and preparedness, (ii) response, and (iii) recovery; and recognize the importance of efficient crisis communications during the sector's response to and recovery from the pandemic. We ask the OECD and the UNWTO, to assess the pandemic's impact on the tourism sector and report back in 2021. We support further capacity building and development of digital skills in the travel and tourism sector that will enable workers and MSMEs to successfully engage in increasingly evolving and digitalized economies, as well as soft skills development including creativity, social, and entrepreneurial skills that cannot be easily replaced by technology. We encourage all efforts to foster tourism innovation and support initiatives that develop startups and innovation hubs seeking solutions to overcome challenges resulting from the pandemic. We welcome the commitment of the travel and tourism private sector to tourism's recovery from COVID-19, and will continue to coordinate with the relevant authorities and private sector to support the safe restart of international travel. We commit to intensifying our efforts to sustainably develop the travel and tourism sector, as noted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We encourage the use of the AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism, which can serve as a guide for countries to work to ensure that tourism contributes to sustainable and inclusive development through: (i) the identification and support of communities with high tourism potential; (ii) the definition of potential areas of action and respective stakeholders that promote local development; (iii) the progress towards evidence-based policies founded on the measurement of the sustainability of tourism in line with international standards; and (iv) showcasing good practices. We endorse the G20 Guidelines for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism (Annex I) to empower people and safeguard the planet and preserve cultural heritage. We recognize the importance of human capital development, inclusive labor markets, adequate social protection, and innovation and entrepreneurship as key contributors to travel and tourism as a human-centered sector, as well as to advancing women's empowerment and to create decent jobs for all. We recognize the importance of well-defined reporting metrics and tools to help better understand the sector's contribution to social and economic development and environmental conservation, emphasizing evidence-based policies and measurements as fundamental for driving and monitoring progress. We further encourage the adoption and consistent usage of standardized international statistical frameworks for the measurement of sustainable and inclusive tourism, using tools such as the Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) Framework, and emphasize the need for disaggregated data, in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We will continue to work with the relevant authorities in our respective countries to enable an environment that promotes and encourages entrepreneurship in the tourism sector at a community level. We encourage tourism governance that fosters stronger cooperation between the public sector, private sector and community stakeholders. This includes the provision of technical and financial support for community development through Public-Private-Community Partnerships (PPCPs) to boost sustainable and inclusive tourism growth. We welcome initiatives that facilitate and channel such support including from relevant international organizations and partners. We support policies that promote sustainable authentic experiences, rural development, and community empowerment; build resilience; benefit local communities; promote an inclusive, safe and welcoming experience for tourists; and provide travelers opportunities to experience the unique nature and culture in local areas. We welcome the Tourism Community Initiative as a catalyst of sector recovery by enabling communities through human and institutional capacity building programs to spread the economic benefits of tourism. Safe and Seamless Travel and Improved Traveler Experience We endorse the G20 Guidelines for Action on Safe and Seamless Travel (Annex II) and welcome the Safe and Seamless Travel and Improved Traveler Experience report, which raises awareness of challenges and opportunities related to the delivery of safe and seamless travel; highlights lessons learned from innovative public and private efforts; and showcases examples from G20 members. We stress the importance of facilitating safe, seamless, and sustainable travel to and within destinations as a part of the crisis recovery, and for the longer term, and underline the need for strong policy coordination between tourism, transportation, health and other relevant authorities. We encourage the application of safe and seamless travel principles, including enhanced connectivity and creative use of new technologies, to improve safety and security, promote sustainability, better manage visitors, and improve the traveler experience. We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of a safe and seamless traveler journey particularly during times of crisis; therefore, we commit to helping the travel and tourism sector rebound and prosper through strengthening international cooperation in international fora, rebuilding trust and confidence in tourism, and sharing knowledge, experiences, and good practices between countries, including on health safety. We will continue promoting efforts by both the public and private sectors to facilitate travel and support initiatives such as those which streamline travel and visa processes, and improve safety and security, recognizing the sovereign right of States to control the entry of foreign nationals. We acknowledge the valuable efforts made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic since our meeting in April, including the United Nations World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) "Recommendations for Action" and "Guidelines to Restart Tourism", and the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) "100 Million Jobs Recovery Plan" and "Safe Travels: Global Protocols and Stamp for the New Normal". We further recognize the value of the Framework and the reports produced with the support of several international organizations and industry partners, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the UNWTO, the World Bank Group (WBG), and the WTTC, and we will continue to work with the relevant government authorities to realize the full potential of these efforts. We welcome the timely establishment of the G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) and endorse its Terms of Reference (Annex III). We express our thanks to the Saudi G20 Presidency for its efforts and excellent leadership. We agree to continue our cooperation to ensure further progress on tourism policies during Italy's G20 Presidency in 2021."
