Tourism and Travel Sector Shows Increased Strength as Per Recent Findings by WTTC and Global Rescue Research
In a groundbreaking study, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Global Rescue have unveiled new research analyzing the impact of 90 crises between 2001 and 2018, at a national and city level. The research, conducted in partnership between the WTTC and Global Rescue, focuses on the travel and tourism sectors and provides valuable insights into reducing crisis recovery times.
The study found that crisis recovery times have decreased over 50%. This significant improvement is attributed to several key factors: improved preparedness, rapid response capabilities, and leveraging data-driven insights.
Effective crisis preparedness involves proactive measures such as developing comprehensive crisis management plans before outbreaks or disruptions occur. These plans should include clear communication protocols, coordinated stakeholder engagement, and investment in training for crisis scenarios.
Data and technology utilization plays a crucial role in identifying emerging threats quickly, enabling faster decision-making. Real-time monitoring of travel and health data, analytics, and predictive modeling can forecast potential impacts and recovery timelines.
Collaboration and partnerships between governments, private sector, health agencies, and emergency services are essential for cohesive actions and resource sharing during crises. Flexible and adaptive recovery strategies are also vital, allowing destinations to rapidly adjust policies, travel guidelines, and operational practices to rebound more swiftly.
Maintaining domestic travel strength is another important factor, as seen in Canada’s strong domestic market recovery. Bolstering local travel demand supports overall sector resilience even when international travel remains volatile.
Each destination requires tailored approaches considering regional travel patterns, economic impacts, and geopolitical factors. Addressing these specific challenges is crucial for effective crisis management.
The WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, and Global Rescue emphasize that destinations looking to reduce crisis recovery times should focus on investing in crisis preparedness infrastructure, fostering public-private partnerships, and continuously updating contingency plans based on the latest intelligence and scenario modeling.
These measures enable faster recovery by minimizing disruption impact and restoring traveler confidence effectively. On a related note, Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the WTTC, will host a panel discussion later today at the World Travel Market to reveal the findings of the report entitled "Crisis Readiness: Are You Prepared and Risk Resilient to Safeguard Your People and Destinations?"
The report also highlights successful examples from Kenya, Mexico, Egypt, Hawaii, and Japan. It underscores the importance of effective, transparent communications and the need for coordinated management to ensure a successful recovery. Public private partnerships are critical for preparedness and prevention.
Global Rescue, a membership organisation providing medical, security, evacuation, travel risk, and crisis management services, was instrumental in conducting this comprehensive research. The research covers a time period from 2001 to 2018 and examines the time to recovery, lost arrivals, and lost visitor spending for each crisis.
Political instability was ranked as the number one crisis impacting travel and tourism, with an average recovery time of 22.2 months (minimum 10 months). Disease outbreaks follow closely, with an average recovery time of 19.4 months (minimum 10 months). Terrorist or security-related incidents have the shortest average recovery time of 11.5 months (minimum 2 months). Natural disasters have an average recovery time of 16.2 months, with a minimum of 1 month.
The report serves as a valuable resource for destinations aiming to increase their resilience amid ongoing travel disruptions and evolving global risks. By focusing on these key factors, the travel and tourism industry can work towards more rapid and effective crisis recovery.
According to the joint research by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Global Rescure, data and technology utilization, effective crisis communication, and collaboration among governments, private sector, and health agencies are crucial steps towards reducing crisis recovery times in the travel and tourism industry. Moreover, tailored crisis management plans and public-private partnerships are essential to ensure a successful recovery, as demonstrated by success stories from Kenya, Mexico, Egypt, Hawaii, and Japan.
