The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has once again brought leaders from across the sector together for high-level talks aimed at strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors. The 42nd plenary session of UN specialised agency’s affiliate members focused both on immediate priorities for tourism’s vital restart and on the longer-term task of ensuring the sector continues to be a key pillar of sustainable development.

The event provided a unique, high-level platform to allow members to share their best practices and proposals for recovery. With the theme ‘Recovering Tourism. Rebuilding Trust. Reinforcing Partnerships’, the session echoed the wider priorities of UNWTO, above all restoring confidence in international travel and promoting collaboration at every level.

Participants were encouraged to make use of the new ‘Affiliate Members Virtual Corner’, launched to coincide with the plenary session.

The session focused on laying the foundations for UNWTO’s Programme of Work for 2021. This roadmap includes continuing to make tourism a key pillar of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and further enhancing sustainability and inclusivity across the whole of the sector. UNWTO’s affiliate members, who include businesses, academia and civil society actors, will play an important role in the UN specialised agency’s work in the challenging months ahead.

UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The engaged participation of every part of our sector will be needed to restart tourism and drive recovery. From the start of this crisis, tourism has led the way in adapting to the new reality and putting public health concerns first. Now, tourism needs the support of governments and international organizations to grow back and grow back stronger and more resilient, benefitting many millions of people and businesses worldwide.”