EBRD, UNWTO partner to accelerate post-Covid recovery of global tourism sector

As the global tourism industry works to recover from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have partnered to support the revival of tourism across the 38 economies where the EBRD operates.

The initiative will benefit countries including Albania, Armenia, Croatia, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Uzbekistan, where tourism remains a key driver of economic growth and employment.

Tourism was among the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic as countries shut their borders and imposed travel restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19, leading to a dramatic decline in international tourist arrivals. Although many destinations have eased restrictions, the recovery has been slow and uneven.

To accelerate the revival, the EBRD and UNWTO will implement a comprehensive recovery strategy based on the UNWTO’s Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package. The plan includes assessing the pandemic’s impact on tourism, preparing recovery roadmaps, introducing enhanced health and safety protocols, promoting destinations to rebuild traveller confidence, and providing training and capacity-building for tourism officials and businesses.

The programme also focuses on preserving jobs, strengthening workforce skills and promoting greater inclusion within the tourism sector.

As part of its broader Covid-19 response, the EBRD has committed its activities during 2020-21 to helping economies recover from the pandemic, with investments expected to reach up to €21 billion across multiple sectors, including tourism and hospitality.