The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has published a new report on practical guidelines and case studies to support destinations in becoming more resilient and sustainable at its Sustainability and Investment Forum taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The report, ‘Enhancing Resilience to Create Sustainability in Destinations’, jointly created with ICF, WTTC’s industry partner and a renowned global consultancy and digital services provider, provides practical, structured insights, for destinations as they consider their resilience and sustainability.

Following the last two years of chaos brought on by the almost complete halt to international travel, no tourism destination has been untouched by the impact of Covid-19. And, many destinations have also been affected by major shocks, such as extreme weather.

To support and guide destinations, this innovative analysis builds on real life case studies and presents a range of resilience actions for destinations before, during or aftershock events. The report provides five elements destinations should focus on to build both resilience and long-term sustainability: environment, infrastructure, energy, economic, and societal resilience.

It offers four phases to analyse the shock and its aftermath: ‘understand the risk’, ‘prepare for shocks’, ‘respond to shock’, and ‘longer term strategies’.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Covid has had a devastating impact, decimating the Travel & Tourism sector around the world. But it’s certainly not the first shock to bring chaos destinations and their citizens. This report allows destinations to understand how to better prepare, act, and plan for future risks, strengthening their resilience and long-term sustainability.”