MADRID: Representative from 55 countries and 37 official representatives gathered at Madrid’s FITUR tourism fair this week to promote themselves as safe destinations and kickstart a recovery in global travel,
“It’s an inflection point for the industry,” mentioned Spain’s Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto, opening the event, where just a fifth of the usual pre-pandemic 250,000 attendees is expected, due to travel restrictions.
Fear of contagion and restrictions on movement triggered a 74per cent contraction in international tourism arrivals in 2020, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (WTO), generating losses of US$1.3 trillion in export revenues.
But with vaccination campaigns gathering pace across the globe, tourism-dependent economies are anxious to entice back visitors and believe now is the time for a comeback.
“We can’t remain closed anymore! After a yr and a half what individuals need is to get moving again,” mentioned Rodrigo Hurtado Escalante, part of Mexico’s 110-member delegation.
A key event for lesser-known destinations to raise their profile and for industry buyers to cut package deals with resorts, this yr’s installment was “a little decaffeinated,” mentioned Hurtado, who first came to FITUR 20 years ago.
Large screens gave attendance figures in real-time, whereas masked Mauritanians in traditional dress mingled with representatives from Colombia and Peru, who argued enthusiastically about the relative merits of their respective cuisines.
Most agreed that even with vaccination certificates, regaining the confidence of prospective travelers will take time and short-distance trips will remain the norm till next yr.
“Argentina’s big bet within the quick-term is regional,” Tourism Minister Matias Lammens mentioned. “It is the same as what’s happening in Europe, what’s going to recover fastest is local tourism.”
Like most other delegates, Lammens was keen to play up his nation’s natural credentials, expecting less-populated destinations to outpace demand for city travel in the short term.
“We’re financing several projects in areas related to nature tourism… We have a huge opportunity here,” he mentioned in an interview.
Courtesy: CNA
