The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has released a Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package to offer guidance to member states in response to COVID-19. The package is structured around three main pillars: economic recovery, marketing and promotion and institutional strengthening and resilience building.

With tourism among the hardest-hit of all sectors, it has identified three possible scenarios for the months ahead. Depending on when restrictions on travel are lifted, international tourist arrivals could decline by 60-80% in 2020. This could translate into a decline in export revenues from tourism of between USD 910 billion to USD 1.2 trillion and place 100-120 million jobs directly at risk. The social ripple effect is also feared to be at least equally challenging for many societies the world over.

Against this backdrop, the COVID-19 assistance package is designed to support governments, the private sector and donor agencies face this unprecedented socio-economic emergency.