An Exclusive Interview with the Secretary General of the UNWTO

Summary

In an interview with Mr. Taleb, the Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization, the focus is on the upcoming T20 meeting in Turkey, which will emphasize job creation in tourism. The discussion will involve travel facilitation, including visa regimes, and the potential for 5.1 million new jobs and an additional $210 billion in the G20 economies. Turkey's success in tourism, driven by political will and industry support, is highlighted as an example for other countries. Security concerns, especially in light of the Tunisia attack, are addressed, with a call for resilience and continued travel. The essential message to G20 leaders is to recognize and support tourism's significant role in economies and people's lives.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The T20 (Tourism 20) is a meeting of tourism ministers from G20 countries, initiated five years ago by South Africa. It runs parallel to the G20 meetings but is independent.
• 📅 The T20 meeting in September will focus on jobs and employment in tourism, as chosen by the host country, Turkey.
• 🤝 The UN World Tourism Organization is collaborating with the International Labor Organization (ILO) to produce a report on maximizing employment potential in tourism, especially in G20 countries.
• 📈 A study presented in Los Cabos, Mexico, showed that minor modifications in visa regimes of G20 economies could add 5.1 million new jobs and $210 billion in additional US dollars.
• 🌳 Turkey is highlighted as a modern-day success story in tourism, with a significant increase in international tourists from 10 million in 2000 to 41 million currently.
• 💰 Turkey's tourism industry generates over 30 billion US dollars in income, demonstrating the economic impact of successful tourism strategies.
• 🏖️ Success in tourism is attributed not just to natural beauty but to political will and the industry's importance at the highest levels of government.
• 🔒 Security is a major concern for tourism, with instability and insecurity hindering the industry's growth. The Tunisian example shows the need to address terrorism directed at tourists.
• 🌐 The message from Tunisia and the UN World Tourism Organization is to continue traveling and not let terrorism deter tourism, emphasizing resilience and continued support for affected areas.
• 💡 The essential message to G20 leaders is to recognize the importance of tourism in people's lives and its potential for economic growth, urging them to take the industry seriously.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the T20 meeting?

The T20 meeting is a gathering of tourism ministers from G20 countries, aimed at discussing issues related to tourism and its impact on the global economy, chosen and hosted by the country that has the G20 presidency at that time.

What is the main topic for the T20 meeting in Turkey in 2015?

The main topic for the T20 meeting in Turkey in 2015 is jobs and employment in tourism, emphasizing the potential of the tourism sector to contribute to economic growth and job creation.

How does the T20 relate to the G20?

While the T20 operates independently, it runs parallel to the G20 and tries to associate itself with the broader economic discussions of the G20, focusing specifically on tourism-related issues.

What is the significance of the report being produced with the ILO?

The report, produced in collaboration with the International Labor Organization, aims to explore how to maximize the employment potential of tourism worldwide, particularly in G20 countries.

What is the relationship between visa issuance and employment in tourism as discussed in the script?

The script discusses the concept of 'travel facilitation,' suggesting that minor modifications to visa regimes in G20 economies, such as improving electronic applications and website user-friendliness, could lead to significant job creation and economic growth.

How many new jobs could be added to G20 economies with travel facilitation improvements?

With improvements in travel facilitation, it is estimated that 5.1 million new jobs could be added to G20 economies.

What is an example of a country that has significantly grown its tourism industry?

Turkey is highlighted as a success story, with international tourist arrivals increasing from 10 million in 2000 to 41 million in 2015.

What factors contribute to Turkey's success in tourism according to the script?

Political will and the belief in the industry are cited as key factors contributing to Turkey's success in tourism, rather than natural resources or cultural attractions alone.

How does the script address the issue of security in tourism?

The script acknowledges security as a major concern for tourism and suggests that a united front, as demonstrated in Tunisia after the terrorist attack, is crucial to show resilience and continue supporting the tourism industry.

What is the essential message to leaders at the G20 in Turkey regarding tourism?

The essential message is to recognize the importance of tourism in people's lives and its potential for economic growth, urging leaders to take the sector seriously and support its development.

What is the 'Open Letter to World Leaders' initiative mentioned in the script?

The 'Open Letter to World Leaders' is an initiative by the World Travel and Tourism Council, aiming to raise awareness among leaders about the importance of tourism and to advocate for its support and development.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Global Tourism and Employment Focus

In this paragraph, Mr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization, discusses the upcoming T20 meeting in September, which will focus on tourism ministers from G20 countries. The main agenda will be jobs and employment in tourism, chosen by the host country, Turkey. The UNWTO is collaborating with the International Labor Organization to produce a report on maximizing tourism employment potential globally, particularly in G20 countries. The paragraph also touches on the link between travel facilitation, such as improving visa regimes and electronic applications, and its impact on job creation and economic growth. The example of Turkey's remarkable growth in tourism is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of political will and industry support.

05:01

📬 Open Letter to World Leaders on Tourism

The second paragraph outlines an initiative called 'Open Letter to World Leaders,' which Mr. Taleb Rifai has been involved in alongside the World Travel and Tourism Council. The program has engaged with 72 heads of state to emphasize the importance of tourism in people's lives and its role as a significant economic sector. The message conveyed to leaders, including those at the G20 in Turkey, is to recognize and prioritize tourism for its potential benefits, urging them to understand that investment in tourism yields substantial returns for society and the economy.

Keywords

💡UN World Tourism Organization

The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism. It plays a key role in shaping tourism policies worldwide. In the video, Mr. Taleb, the Secretary-General of UNWTO, discusses the importance of tourism and its impact on global economies, particularly in the context of the G20 and T20 meetings.

💡G20

The G20, or Group of Twenty, is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union. It is a leading global economic governance forum aimed at discussing and formulating policies related to international financial stability. In the script, the G20 meeting in Turkey is mentioned as a significant event where global economic issues are addressed.

💡T20

The T20 refers to the tourism ministers of the G20 countries. It is a subset of the G20, focusing on tourism-related issues. The T20 meeting is held in parallel to the G20 meetings and addresses topics chosen by the host country. In the video, the T20 meeting's agenda includes discussions on jobs and employment in tourism.

💡Travel Facilitation

Travel facilitation refers to measures that simplify and streamline travel procedures, such as visa issuance, to enhance the travel experience and promote tourism. In the script, it is mentioned as a key factor in increasing tourism and job creation, with the potential to add millions of jobs and billions of dollars to the economies of G20 countries.

💡Jobs and Employment

Jobs and employment are central to the discussion in the T20 meeting, as highlighted by Turkey, the host country. The focus is on maximizing the employment potential of tourism worldwide, especially in G20 countries. The script mentions a study that shows minor modifications in visa regimes could lead to significant job creation and economic growth.

💡ILO

The International Labor Organization (ILO) is a UN agency that sets international labor standards and promotes social protection, decent working conditions, and social justice. In the video, the ILO is collaborating with UNWTO to produce a report on maximizing employment opportunities in the tourism sector.

💡Security

Security is a critical concern for tourism, as it directly impacts the safety and well-being of tourists and the stability of the tourism industry. The script discusses the importance of addressing security issues, such as the terrorist attack in Tunisia, to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of the tourism sector.

💡Tunisia

Tunisia is mentioned in the script as a major tourist destination that experienced a terrorist attack targeting tourists. The incident highlights the challenges of ensuring security in tourist destinations and the resilience of the tourism industry in the face of such threats.

💡Political Will

Political will refers to the determination and support of government leaders to prioritize and promote certain industries or policies. In the context of the video, Turkey's success in tourism is attributed to strong political will and the recognition of tourism as a national priority.

💡World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)

The WTTC is a global organization that represents the travel and tourism sector. It works to raise awareness of the sector's importance and to influence policy for its benefit. In the script, the WTTC is mentioned as a partner in an 'open letter to world leaders' campaign, emphasizing the significance of tourism.

💡Economic Growth

Economic growth is a central theme in the video, with tourism being highlighted as a significant contributor to global economies. The script discusses how improvements in travel facilitation and the tourism sector can lead to job creation and increased revenue, as exemplified by Turkey's success story.

Highlights

The T20 meeting involves tourism ministers from G20 countries and is held in the country with the G20 presidency.

The T20 meeting's topic is chosen by the host country, focusing on jobs and employment in tourism for the 2024 meeting in Turkey.

A report in collaboration with the ILO will explore maximizing employment potentials in tourism, especially in G20 countries.

A study presented in Los Cabos, Mexico, showed minor modifications in visa regimes could add 5.1 million jobs and $210 billion in the G20 economies.

Travel facilitation, including visa issuance, is crucial for job creation and economic growth in the tourism sector.

Turkey's tourism success story is highlighted, with a fourfold increase in international tourists from 2000 to 2014.

Political will and belief in the tourism industry are key factors in Turkey's success, not just natural resources.

Security concerns, such as the terrorist attack in Tunisia, impact tourism and require a strong response.

The message from Tunisia is to continue visiting despite security threats, emphasizing resilience in the face of terrorism.

Tourism can contribute to national security by generating income, jobs, and prosperity, reducing reasons for instability.

An open letter to world leaders by WTTC emphasizes the importance of recognizing tourism's role in people's lives.

The essential message to G20 leaders is to take tourism seriously for its economic and social benefits.

The T20 meeting aims to align with the G20 mechanism while maintaining independence in its focus on tourism issues.

The relationship between visa issuance and employment is significant, with potential for substantial job creation and economic impact.

Improving the friendliness of visa regimes, such as through electronic applications, can significantly boost tourism and job creation.

The growth in Turkey's tourism industry is attributed to political will and strategic focus, not just natural beauty or resources.

Security is a major concern for tourism, and instability can hinder the sector's growth and prosperity.

Transcripts

we're speaking today with mr. taleb

rifai secretary-general of the UN World

Tourism Organization thank you for

receiving us thank you for being here

and we're looking ahead to the g20

meeting in Turkey in November and prior

to that there will be a meeting of the

t20 in September the the tourism

ministers from all of the major

economies around the world what are the

main issues that you would like to see

on the agenda and emphasized during the

meeting of the t20 the t20 term came to

both five years ago when South Africa

hosted the first so-called t20 meeting

which is basically the tourism ministers

of the g20 countries and since then we

have been meeting in the places were

countries where they have the presidency

of the g20 at that type we're rather

independent from the g20 mechanism but

we go parallel to them and we try to

associate ourselves to them the topic of

the meetings is usually chosen by and we

discuss it with the host country but

it's chosen by the host country this

year in Turkey we're going to be talking

about jobs and employment in tourism

that's the area that the host country

Turkey in this year wants to emphasize

and wants to highlight and we're working

with our sister organization the ILO the

International Labor Organization to

produce a report on how can we maximize

the employment potentials of the tourism

worldwide but particularly in the g20

countries and in your studies you've

actually made a relationship between

visa issuance and employment isn't that

right absolutely visa issue and

everything else not just the visa issue

we call it for a broader understanding

we brought would call it travel

facilitation and we made the study on

the g20 economies that we presented in

Los Cabos in Mexico that proved that

with minor minor modifications on the

visa regimes of many of the g20

economies as mine are sometimes as just

improve your website please make it a

bit more friendly make people apply more

electronically improve your friendliness

factor

can call it this way you can add in two

years 5.1 million new jobs in these

economies 210 billion additional US

dollars would be added turkey is one

example of tremendous growth and tourism

are there things that Turkey has done

that can be extrapolated to other

countries that other countries can use

as an example in promoting their own

tourism industries absolutely turkey is

without doubt a modern-day success story

a 21st century success story if I may

say just think about this in the year

2000 at the dawn of this century there

were 10 million international tourists

coming to turkey from all over the world

today into father or 14 less than 15

years after that there's 41 million so

more than four times double for four

folds this is a tremendous success story

let alone the income over 30 billion US

dollars is the income from tourism now

why is turkey so successful and what can

people learn from that it's not because

they have more beautiful beaches or more

beautiful landscape or better cuisine

every country in the world can claim

that our firm belief is that it's the

political will the belief in the

industry that makes the highest level of

political hierarchy pay attention and

raise the level of of interests in the

tourism industry to a national level an

issue that's a great concern to

governments right now is obviously

security and Tunisia which is a major

tourist destination for European

visitors there was a terrorist attack

which was directed at tourists how do

you deal with this phenomenon what are

you advising governments and what are

you advising individual tourists I was

in Tunisia i joined the march that

contained many world leaders and many

supporters there were hundreds of

thousands of people marching in the

streets to make sure that the message

goes out from tunisia to tell those

forces of darkness if i may call them so

that no we will not surrender and yes

people will continue to visit tunisia

and this is our message to everybody

don't let them defeat you by stopping

you from traveling to places like this

now

security is a major concern not just to

to the security apparatus and to their

livelihood of people but also to tourism

tourism can never flourish if a country

is unstable or insecure but on the other

hand we also try to pay it to to attract

attention that when there is more income

generated from tourism when there are

more jobs when there is more prosperity

that by itself eliminates so many of the

reasons why some of this insecurity

appears in the first place what would be

your essential message to the leaders

that are going to gather at the g20 in

turkey this year from the year 2011

until today I have been embarked with

our partners in WTTC the World Travel

and Tourism Council on a program called

open letter to world leaders we met 72

presidents and prime ministers heads of

states and heads of governments and the

message was the same please open your

eyes and see how important tourism is in

people's life it's a tremendously

horizontal sector and that's exactly the

kind of message that I would like the

leaders at the g20 in Turkey to listen

to please take it serious the more you

give to it the more you take out of it