The
President of Portugal, Anibal Cavaco Silva, has highlighted the
importance of tourism to the country’s jobs and exports on the
occasion of the presentation of the UNWTO / World Travel &
Tourism Council (WTTC) Open Letter on Travel and Tourism which aims
to rally support for tourism among world leaders (Lisbon, Portugal, 6
December 2012).
Meeting
UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and WTTC President and CEO,
David Scowsill, President Cavaco Silva recalled that tourism directly
represents 9% of Portugal’s GDP and 8% of the workforce.
“Tourism
is very important for jobs and exports in Portugal,” said President
Cavaco Silva, while highlighting the capacity the sector has in
reducing poverty around the world and welcoming the work of the
United Nations through UNWTO in this regard. The President said it
was central to “support increasing mobility around the globe as
this is critical not only to the tourism sector, but also to the
wellbeing of people as the tourism sector is of growing importance to
many countries.”
“In
these challenging times for many countries in Europe, tourism can be
part of the solution not only for the jobs and the growth the sector
generates directly, but also due to the immense linkages tourism has
with many other sectors of the economy to which it brings extra
demand,” said Mr. Rifai.
WTTC
President & CEO, David Scowsill, said “Few countries have a
greater dependence on Travel & Tourism than Portugal. During
2012, our industry will sustain directly and indirectly almost 18% of
all jobs and contribute 15% of Portugal’s GDP. There is a large
private sector committed to economic growth and job creation, which
is committed to work with the government to stimulate further growth
in these difficult economic times. The President understands the huge
economic and social contribution that the industry makes to the
Portuguese economy, and reflected this in his comments in our
meeting.”
