“TC President Urges Simplified Visa Procedures to Boost International Tourism

Xinhua

Kigali: World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) President Julia Simpson suggested that governments should work to ease visa restrictions and accelerate the process of visa applications in a bid to further support international tourism.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 23rd WTTC Global Summit, which took place in Rwanda’s capital Kigali from November 1-3, Julia said that the sector’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is well underway.

The latest data from WTTC and its partner Oxford Economics show that global travel is surging back, with all regions recovering faster than previously expected and especially Asia-Pacific leading the way.

“I’m really pleased to say that in 2023 we’re going to be back to 2019 levels; some regions are already exceeding 2019 numbers. Travel and tourism are growing more than double the rate of global GDP, Simpson added.

Lets recap the second day of #GSRwanda…

The international Travel & Tourism community gathered in Kigali, Rwanda for inspiring conversations around the current challenges and future opportunities for the industry.

Join virtually https://t.co/KJiR6AGo3q#TravelAndTourism pic.twitter.com/Ko5VrUJUn0

— WTTC (@WTTC) November 3, 2023

Under the theme ‘Building Bridges to a Sustainable Future’ and co-hosted by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), this year’s WTTC event emphasised to support the sector’s growth and move to a safer, more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future.

Simpson also emphasised that the key to the future of tourism lies in ‘regenerative tourism’ which aims at promoting a more sustainable way of travelling and making sure the cultural heritage, local traditions and environment are conserved from one generation to the next.

It is to mention that WTCC is a membership organisation representing the leaders of the global travel and tourism industry. It is a forum for global business leaders, comprising presidents, chairs, and CEOs of 100 of the world’s foremost companies. It is the only body representing the private sector in all parts of the travel and tourism industry worldwide.

WTTC’s mission is to raise awareness of the full economic impact of travel and tourism, the world’s largest generator of wealth and employment which accounts for 200 million jobs and over 10 percent of global GDP. Governments are encouraged to unlock the industry’s potential by adopting a policy framework for sustainable tourism development.