Buenas tardes a todos. Good afternoon to you all, welcome,
I am very pleased to be here with all of you this afternoon at the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization; an international body that is currently at the front line of the challenges facing an industry that undoubtedly has been one of the most affected by the global pandemic: tourism.
Ever since this health crisis began, we have been fully aware of its impact on an economic sector that is crucial for many countries and particularly for Spain. Therefore, we are determined to support any effort and initiative possible directed to recover the enormous value this industry brings us here and worldwide.
As the UN Secretary-General pointed out, it is imperative that we rebuild the tourism sector to ensure that it “regains its position as a provider of decent jobs, stable incomes and the protection of our cultural and natural heritage”, because this activity “boosts economies and enables countries to thrive.”
One year ago, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of FITUR, and in June, in the midst of the pandemic, Madrid hosted the plenary assembly of the Smart Tourism Destinations Network, which underlined the technological and innovative dimension of tourism; and in November, the Queen attended the Tourism Innovation Summit in Seville. Our commitment to tourism is, thus, firm and unwavering; and as I have already said, it gives me great pleasure to be with you here today at such an important meeting.
Tourism is a key driver of global economic and social development. I am quite sure none of us here believes otherwise. The records of sustained growth and job creation in its many subsectors and activities shown in recent decades are a hard proof of such assertion. For certain places —cities, regions or even some countries—, tourism is the main economic activity providing wellbeing for their inhabitants; hence it has also become their main resource.
According to this very Organization, tourism grew at an annual rate of 5% during the period from 2009 to 2019. Moreover, according to other sources, namely the World Travel and Tourism Council, in 2019 tourism accounted for more than 10% of the world's GDP, and more than 330 million people employed –about 54% of them women, and 30% of them young people; only in recent years, tourism has created 1 out of every 4 new jobs worldwide.
"...Tourism is a key driver of global economic and social development. I am quite sure none of us here believes otherwise. The records of sustained growth and job creation in its many subsectors and activities shown in recent decades are a hard proof of such assertion. For certain places —cities, regions or even some countries—, tourism is the main economic activity providing wellbeing for their inhabitants; hence it has also become their main resource..."
But for as much as we value these positive material facts about Tourism, there is something more to say or highlight in its favour, not so measurable but equally beneficial: That it is also a driver of human development, because it enables citizens from different regions and countries to meet, to interact and to share their experiences. It easily and soon becomes a process of mutual enrichment through the discovery of different cultures and the appreciation of human diversity and common values.
On the other hand, we cannot deny that tourism entails the existence in recipient communities of a floating, often seasonal, population that places a strain on local resources and services. Any respectful management of these circumstances must take into account the scarcity of resources as well as the unrelinquishable nature of certain goals, such as the quest for social wellbeing and the fight against climate change. In short, it is a question of promoting tourism in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations.
In this context, we must bear in mind that Spain has long been −and remains− one of the leading tourist destinations in the world, which owes greatly to the richness of its natural, historical and cultural heritage, as it does to its climate Filomena notwithstanding. However, we should not underscore the role and impact of the strong socioeconomic development achieved in the last decades, and how this affects the public services, security and infrastructures Spain can offer its visitors.
The importance of this sector in the Spanish economy is clearly large: it represents 12.4% of our GDP and provides jobs for 2.7 million workers. It is for these reasons—the weight of our tourist industry, and our tradition and culture in this sector—that Spain is a prime example of tourism conceived as an indisputable driver of economic, social and human development.
Señoras y señores,
En la actualidad vivimos una crisis excepcional que ha impactado seriamente al turismo como ninguna otra, en gran medida como consecuencia de las restricciones a la movilidad por razones sanitarias. Serán estas, junto con las diferentes actuaciones tanto públicas como privadas, las que irán determinando las posibilidades de viajar y de recuperar el sector, en función de la evolución de la pandemia.
Esta crisis ha puesto de manifiesto la fragilidad del turismo ante una emergencia sanitaria global, pues sin movilidad carece de una de sus premisas más importantes; ha puesto de relieve la necesidad de preparar la industria turística ante los eventuales retos de futuro que, evidentemente, no siempre serán fáciles de prever. Y confiamos firmemente en la paulatina recuperación de la actividad “normal” para alcanzar lo antes posible cifras que nos animen a todos en el camino de seguir construyendo el futuro, sobre todo en un momento en el que el proceso de vacunación ya ha comenzado.
Termino ya con la seguridad de que este Consejo Ejecutivo de la OMT contribuirá a abordar constructivamente los desafíos que en esta coyuntura histórica inciden en el turismo, como fenómeno transformador de primer orden para las economías y las sociedades de tantas naciones del mundo.
Muchas gracias. Thank you very much.