International tourism continued to show strong signs of recovery, with arrivals reaching 57% of pre-pandemic levels in the first seven months of 2022.
According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals almost tripled in January to July 2022 (+172%) compared to the same period of 2021. This means the sector recovered almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
Asia and the Pacific (+165%) saw arrivals more than double in the first seven months of 2022, though they remained 86% below 2019 levels, as some borders remained closed to non-essential travel.
As the world celebrates the 42nd anniversary of World Tourism Day, this year we focus on the future, joining billions around the world in ‘rethinking tourism’.
“Across regions, we can see that the Asia-Pacific’s recovery is relatively slower. An uneven recovery means that we need to focus our collaborative efforts to reimagine and re-emerge from the crisis. Now’s the time to rethink as the World Tourism Day calls for,” said Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Shaheen Ali.
As part of this year’s celebrations, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport (MCTTT) organised a survey competition for Fijian tertiary students with the aim of placing youth at the forefront of the future.
Kavitesh Chand, a Tourism and Hospitality Management student at the University of the South Pacific, was one of the many who captured what they wanted tourism to be. He also won the competition and a prize money of $400.
The Permanent Secretary acknowledged Mr Chand, and everyone who participated, noting that their say matters.
“To truly build back better, we have to acknowledge everyone’s contribution by taking an inclusive response to recovery across different age cohorts. Through the WTD competition, we can see how the future generation is equally committed to shaping the tourism sector,” said Ali.
“To further promote inclusivity, the contributions by Fijian youth will feed into Fiji’s new tourism sectoral plan. These youths have covered sustainability, empowering women, continued access to skill development and bridging the digital divide – all of which contribute to the development of tourism,” added Ali.
Mr Chand added that he was glad to be part of the competition, knowing his contribution makes a difference in the policies of the tourism industry.
“I was happy to be given an opportunity to contribute to the strategies for the future of tourism and share my thoughts. I am also thankful to MCTTT for having competition and giving the voice of the future the opportunity to contribute towards the tourism plan,” said Mr Chand.
The official World Tourism Day celebration is being held in Bali, Indonesia, highlighting the shift towards tourism being recognized as a crucial pillar of development.
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