The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has reaffirmed commitment to working closely with the government of Brazil to help the country’s tourism sector recover and become a key driver of sustainable development. The Secretary-General of UNWTO, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili led a UNWTO delegation to meet with President Jair Bolsonaro and minister of tourism Marcelo Álvaro Antônio, on a first visit to the Americas region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In meetings between the UNWTO leadership and the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, Minister Marcelo Álvaro Antônio outlined how he has been working to support the sector through the unprecedented crisis posed by the pandemic. Measures taken include advancing US$1 billion of loans to support tourism businesses, as well as promoting investments in the sector, including through modifying the existing legal framework.
The highlight of the visit was a meeting with President, during which Pololikashvili thanked him for making tourism a central part of his government’s agenda and for his ongoing support for UNWTO. The President and his government were cited as a strong example of Member States working together with UNWTO to advance education and training in the tourism sector, foster innovation, and drive both job creation and investment.
Alongside this, UNWTO is working closely with private partner Wakalúa, the first global tourism innovation hub, and the Brazilian government to make the country a hub of tourism innovation. In addition, the Brazilian government used the occasion of these meetings to again express an interest in hosting a new UNWTO Regional Office for the Americas.
Pololikashvili also used the occasion of the official visit to Brazil to share the steps UNWTO is taking to ensure confidence returns to international tourism. These include plans to introduce a new International Code for the Protection of Tourists, which will also have the additional benefit of spreading responsibility for tourists faced with emergency situations more fairly across the sector.
The UNWTO Secretary-General said: “Tourism is a powerful force for good for Brazil and for all of the Americas. As UNWTO guides the global restart of tourism, we are on our first official visit to the region since the start of the crisis. I thank the Government of Brazil for the ongoing, strong support for tourism and I am particularly encouraged by the commitment to growing innovation in tourism and using the sector as a tool to advance sustainable development for all.”
After visiting Brazil, the UNWTO delegation will leave for neighbouring Uruguay where the Secretary-general is expected to meet the country’s political leadership and key public and private tourism players.
