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WTO-ITC-TOURISM-TRADE-POLICY
WTO forum encourages greater participation of tourism in trade policy
GENEVA, Oct. 4, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – The World Trade Organization (WTO),
the International Trade Centre (ITC), and two international tourism
organizations and issued a joint message Wednesday encouraging greater
participation of tourism in global trade policy.
The WTO, the ITC, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and the World
Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) said their joint communication is titled
Tourism, Trade and the WTO.
The statement linking tourism with trade was issued during the three-day
annual WTO Public Forum which will end on Thursday.
The head of the WTTC spoke to journalists of China’s importance in global
tourism ahead of a public discussion on digital transformation for inclusive
tourism.
WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said: “Between 7 and 19 million new
jobs could be created in the G20 countries alone by investing in biometrics
and new airport infrastructure to make existing terminal facilities and
processes more efficient, more secure and seamless for passengers.”
“China is a very important player from our perspective, with 240 million
travelers due to the increase of the middle class there,” said Guevara.
Her organization says that in 2016 China sustained 69.5 million jobs in
travel and tourism and generated 9 percent of its GDP in that period.
Jaime Alberto Cabal, Deputy Secretary-General of UNWTO, said China is now
the fourth largest tourism destination in the world and between 2020 and 2025
it could be number one.
The joint message affirmed “the importance of enhanced global cooperation
on trade and tourism”, encouraging “greater participation of the tourism
sector in trade policy.”
“It’s not only about tourism. Tourism is linked with trade,” said WTO
Deputy Director-General Yi Xiaozhun, noting that people who come to Geneva
for example “also want to buy goods and souvenirs…A lot of poor countries
can do a lot to sell their goods.”
That is why the WTO wants to strengthen relations with international
tourism groups, he said.
BSS/XINHUA/HR/1240