Asia–Pacific “stay creative” – UNWTO

Tourism in the Asia–Pacific region must be creative and innovative as it battles the effects of the global economic downturn, the deputy secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has stressed.

Dr Taleb Rifai told delegates at the Revitalization of Tourism and Confronting Crisis conference in Chengdu, China that it was “not a time to shrink or retreat but rather a time to invest” and said the industry had a proven track record of resilience during major disasters.

Shao Qiwei from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) said lessons could be learned from the earthquake in Sichuan province last May with investment in infrastructure, accelerated recovery programmes and greater private sector engagement all likely to benefit the region's tourism industry.

Source: Routes News