At the G20 Tourism Ministers’ meeting in Belém, Brazil, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili emphasised the critical need for tourism to play a central role in building a fairer, more sustainable future. With international tourism set to fully recover from the pandemic by the end of this year, Pololikashvili called on the global sector to focus on empowering local communities, addressing climate change, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
The latest data from the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) shows that international tourist arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels during the first half of 2023, with some regions even surpassing those figures. Europe and the Middle East have seen the most robust recovery, while Asia and the Pacific are experiencing a slower rebound, partly due to lingering travel restrictions. This steady recovery highlights the resilience of the tourism industry, which continues to be a significant driver of economic growth and job creation around the world.
Pololikashvili underscored the importance of this recovery and the urgency of refocusing tourism’s future on sustainability. “Tourism heavily depends on biodiversity, climate stability, and natural resources. Accelerating climate action in tourism is critical for the resilience of the sector and the communities it serves,” he said at the G20 gathering.
He also stressed that tourism offers unique opportunities for employment and social cohesion, but noted that a transformation is needed to ensure that the sector becomes more inclusive and sustainable. “The tourism sector is unique in its ability to create jobs and bring people together. However, to truly transform it, we need innovative policies and governance models that place communities and the environment at the heart of decision-making,” Pololikashvili added.
The UNWTO leader called for stronger coordination between national and local authorities, as well as increased collaboration among key stakeholders, to help embed sustainability and community engagement in the industry’s decision-making processes. This, he suggested, would help ensure the long-term resilience of the tourism sector.
The G20 meeting, which brought together tourism ministers and leaders from across the globe, highlighted the importance of nature-positive and circular economic practices. These strategies, which promote resource efficiency and reduce environmental impact, are seen as essential for ensuring that tourism can thrive while protecting the planet’s ecosystems.
Pololikashvili’s remarks signal a pivotal moment for the future of global tourism, where the industry must place greater emphasis on sustainability to remain resilient. He called for climate action to be integrated into the core of tourism strategies, noting that tourism’s dependence on natural resources requires immediate and comprehensive climate efforts.
The pandemic forced the global tourism industry into an unprecedented standstill, but its gradual recovery demonstrates both the sector’s economic importance and the need for transformative policies. As travel demand returns, the UNWTO is pushing for a reimagined tourism industry—one that prioritises the wellbeing of communities, tackles climate change, and builds a future that benefits both people and the planet.