Just under 62 million jobs have been lost in the tourism sector globally since the outbreak of the pandemic to date, a drop that corresponds to 18.5% compared to 2019. This is just one of the figures included in the draft document of the meeting of G20 tourism ministers, gathered under the Italian Presidency and in the presence of Minister Massimo Garavaglia. To certify the unprecedented crisis in the sector is also the data relating to tourist arrivals: at an international level there was in fact a collapse of 73% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
“The prospects remain uncertain – underline the ministers from the meeting – and the impacts are unprecedented on vulnerable groups and small and medium-sized enterprises”. The actions to be taken for global economic recovery are summarized in 7 key areas to be developed in the near future: safe mobility, crisis management, resilience, inclusivity, green transformation, digital transition and investment and infrastructure.
Sustainable tourism
G20 tourism ministers say they are committed to designing policies for a sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism sector and to promoting international and public-private cooperation. “We recognize that governments have taken impressive actions to address the impacts of the crisis on the tourism sector, to support businesses and tourist destinations, minimize job losses and to support recovery in 2021 – reads the draft document – . We reaffirm our commitment to the actions agreed during the 2020 President of Saudi Arabia and recognize the need for further efforts. “
An unprecedented picture
The data collected from the G20 meeting of ministers outline an unprecedented picture that had already been extensively profiled by Istat data at the national level of last April, when there was a 44.8% fewer holidays in Italy compared to 2019. and a -67.9% of business trips, with a drop in travel abroad equal to 80%.
Draghi: “Tourism will come back stronger”
Prime Minister Mario Draghi also spoke on the topic of tourism in a press conference after the G20 ministerial and commented on the inflection of the sector: «Our mountains, our beaches, our cities are reopening. Some sectors are destined to shrink but others to grow and I have no doubt that tourism in Italy will return stronger than before. In the meantime – continues Draghi – the government intends to offer help to the tourism industry that has had so much damage from this prolonged closure and of course the tourism industry is a prominent figure in our Pnrr (National Recovery and Resilience Plan, ed) ».