Five important proposals for a sustainable, sustainable and inclusive tourism model were submitted by the Minister of Tourism Mr. Haris Theocharis, participating in a teleconference of the International Energy Forum (IEF), on the impact of COVID-19 on the energy market, international aviation and tourism.
“The pandemic revealed an opportunity for different and more authentic experiences. We must all think about the future of tourism and the sensitive links between tourism and the environment. “We must turn the crisis into an opportunity: by working for a more sustainable, inclusive and sustainable tourism model,” the Greek minister said in a statement.
Analyzing the five axes of proposals, he stressed the need:
1) Common strategy without horizontal constraints. “As countries manage to curb the virus, general restrictions on free movement to and from other regions or Member States with similar epidemiological profiles should be replaced by more targeted measures, in addition to physical distance, effective detection and control of any suspicious cases “.
2) Stimulating demand. “Domestic and EU tourism will dominate in the near future. 267 million Europeans (62% of the population) make at least one private leisure trip a year and 78% of Europeans spend their holidays in their country of origin or another EU country. Greece has successfully introduced the “Tourism for All” program. with a budget of about 100 million euros, to support domestic tourism “.
3) The vaccine. “By investing in research,” the Greek minister pointed out, “you build relationships and support timely access to a vaccine.
4) Industry support. “Development of comprehensive recovery strategies for areas affected by the crisis. “Such strategies should, in the first instance, support tourism businesses and related services.”
5) The strategic adjustment. “These actions should be linked to local, regional and national measures in order to put the tourism ecosystem on a stable footing,” the minister said.
Speaking about the results of the first months of the pandemic, Mr. Theocharis said that “the sharp and sudden drop in arrivals endangered millions of jobs and businesses. According to the World Tourism Organization, the huge drop in international travel demand between January and June 2020 translates into a loss of 440 million international arrivals and about US $ 460 billion in international tourism revenue.
The return to the levels of 2019, in terms of tourist arrivals, will take from 2½ to 4 years.
The Secretary-General also participated in the teleconference of the International Energy Forum, an intergovernmental, non-profit international organization dedicated to strengthening the common energy interests of its members, whose biennial ministerial meetings are the largest gathering of energy ministers in the world. of the World Tourism Organization Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, the President of Delta Airlines International Mr. Steve Sear, the Vice President of the Oil and Gas Exploration Company Wood Mackenzie Mrs. AnnLouise Hittle and Mrs. Joanne Shore, President of Downstream Petroleum Markets, LLC.
