Ιmproving air connectivity through
a closer coordination of tourism and aviation policies to ensure the sustained
growth of the tourism sector and of air transport was the commitment stemming
from the annual UNWTO & World Travel Market (WTM) Ministers´ Summit
(London, United Kingdom, 5 November 2013).
Critical issues related to
bridging air transport and tourism policies, including the current regulatory
framework, taxation and the way forward in facilitating the all travel process
were discussed in a panel debate that gathered Tourism Ministers and private
sector representatives from around the world.
“It is clear that in spite
of the interdependent relationship between aviation and tourism, greater
efforts must be exerted by both sectors to achieve an integrated policy
position to ensure a more sustainable and competitive growth,” said UNWTO
Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
Speakers highlighted
technology, public-public partnerships across government, regional cooperation
and investment in soft infrastructure – technology and human resources – as
keys to bridge the gap between tourism and air transport policies and promote
travel facilitation.
Taxation and a regulatory
framework still limited in most cases by reciprocity in air transport
agreements were pointed as two of the main barriers to the sustained growth of
tourism and air transport. The impact of increasingly high taxes on air
transport was identified as a particular impediment to the development of
destinations with a significant tourism sector and which are highly depended on
air lift such as the Caribbean .
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The panel, moderated by
Charles Hodson, anchor of CNN International´s flagship business programme,
“World Business Today”, brought together H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin
Abdulaziz, President & Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Commission for
Tourism and Antiquities, the Ministers and Secretaries of State for Tourism of
Indonesia, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South
Africa and Spain as well as the President and CEO of the World Travel &
Tourism Council (WTTC), the Vice President of Government Affairs of Amadeus,
the Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Vice President
for Europe of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the
Director of the Air Transport Bureau of the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO). The discussion was enriched by the participation of over
80 Ministers attending the event.
Currently, over half of
the one billion tourists traveling the world arrive at their destination by
air, and according to UNWTO´s long-term forecast, by 2030, air transport will
be the principal means of travel by 52% of all international tourists.
UNWTO announced the
holding of an Africa Conference of Ministers of Tourism and Transport to be
held next year in the Seychelles
