UNWTO and Google are likely to host trainings for destination management organisations, using a new capacity building curriculum developed by Google. These sessions will empower destinations to switch to digital, with the training adapted to reflect their specific circumstances and the unique challenges every destination currently faces.
The new curriculum will also complement existing joint initiatives, and a data sharing agreement for Google’s Travel Insights to power a portion of the UNWTO’s tourism recovery tracker. Alongside this, the Tourism Accelerator Program, designed by Google in partnership with UNWTO, will also be scaled up globally. The partnership will also go beyond empowering destinations and businesses during the immediate recovery phase.
Under the agreement, Google will provide ongoing support for a number of UNWTO’s leading initiatives, including Start-up Competitions designed to promote and support innovation across the sector. UNWTO and Google have also planned to collaborate on joint research projects related to tourism. The results will further establish both parties as thought leaders and provide governments, destinations and businesses with the trusted data and insights they need to guide tourism towards recovery.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said in a statement that the strong partnership between UNWTO and Google will help put innovation and digital at the centre of tourism’s recovery. He mentioned that by working together, UNWTO and Google will empower destinations, businesses and tourism workers to realise the power of data and market intelligence, both increasingly important as global tourism looks to restart and recover.
Gianni Marostica, Managing Director for Travel Partnerships, Google said in a statement that the company is honoured to be working alongside UNWTO in the vital effort to support the global tourism sector on its path toward broader economic recovery. She mentioned that it is critical that both policymakers and businesses have the tools and insights they need to reconnect with travellers in a digital environment.
Tags: Google, United Nations World Tourism Organisation, UNWTO
