On the Ground Fostering Tourism for Development - June 2020
Message of the Executive Director
We enjoyed a strong end to 2020 in terms of technical assistance we provided to UNWTO Member States. Seven projects were successfully completed in Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Aruba, Myanmar, UAE, Seychelles, and Saudi Arabia. Together, these projects had a total value of US$ 365,000.
The release of the “COVID-19 Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package” in May 2020 allowed UNWTO to both strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones, expanding the network of donors for the implementation of technical assistance projects. Structured around three main pillars: economic recovery; marketing and promotion; and institutional strengthening and resilience building, the package offers guidance to public and private tourism sector stakeholders in their crisis response. Firstly, it outlines UNWTO’s range of technical assistance, and, secondly, it details potential areas of intervention, including impact assessment, roles and responsibilities.
Among the first to collaborate with UNWTO in the implementation of the COVID-19 Tourism Recovery Package was the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The Bank signed a framework Agreement with UNWTO to deliver technical assistance to a selected group of priority countries for the swift recovery of their tourism sectors post COVID-19. Target countries include Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Croatia, and Montenegro. In the Dominican Republic, Greece, Maldives, and Zambia other COVID-19 related projects are being launched or implemented in 2021.
In the new year, UNWTO expanded its network of donors with ADB and IADB and the current portfolio of the UNWTO Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Department. Through this network, 51 projects are being implemented on the ground, with a total budget of US $9.5 million. I hope this edition of “UNWTO On the Ground” gives an overview of the extent and range of technical assistance that UNWTO is providing to its Member States during this most challenging time for the tourism sector.
Shanzhong Zhu
Executive Director
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