With important markets advancing in the vaccination of citizens, the industry begins to plan the year with more certainty
Although in years prior to the pandemic, many destinations had been working successfully to boost the demand for domestic and regional tourism, but the vast majority depend on the arrival of visitors from other latitudes, especially from the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In the current context, it is impossible to open borders without having a consensual planning that provides clarity and foresight. In this sense, there are those who already imagine a scenario where states can definitively dispose of the income of those who have already been vaccinated. An option that every minute that passes is more possible.
In that sense, both destinations and the private sector should closely follow the British tracker Our World in Data, a portal that uses data from the University of Oxford and shows the number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines supplied in the world. You can also check the number of doses applied per 100 inhabitants. Logically, the information is constantly updated every day according to the official information provided by each Government or Ministry of Health.
With these letters in hand, the tourism market enters a phase where there will be those who are bolder and still allow visitors with negative PCR to enter and others who are more conservative who only accept those who are vaccinated.
Still, planning for 2021 isn't that simple. We will have to be aware of how you can work to sustain and enhance connectivity. Just yesterday, Alexandre de Juniac, Director General & CEO of IATA issued a statement where he stated: "While we still see airlines turn positive in cash during the year, the short-term outlook is bleak. Aviation is a major driver. of our world and will play a critical role in helping the world recover from COVID-19. We must ensure that it receives the support it needs to keep the nations of the world connected and united. "
“Between January and November 2020, airlines operating in the region transported about 40% of the total passengers transported in that period of 2019. November marked a milestone with about 16 million passengers in the region (45% of the November 2019 total) thanks to the reactivation of practically all the countries of the region. This shows that there is an interest and need in traveling, therefore, we cannot return to border closures or reimpose obstacles on passengers. We reiterate our willingness to work with governments in the implementation of effective and sustainable mechanisms that guarantee the health of passengers and citizens, while we recover connectivity and this important economic sector ”, comments José Ricardo Botelho, Executive Director & CEO of ALTA.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a significant challenge for aviation and a major focus at this time is coordinating the reboot of the industry. The global recovery has been uneven, with some regions experiencing drops in volumes in recent months, while others are experiencing a slow and steady recovery in flight numbers. For example, the most significant growth was seen in the Caribbean, where an additional 900 daily flights were added in late October and November 2020. In addition to preparing for the restart, organizations across the industry face an unprecedented financial challenge. And while I understand the important measures that are being put in place to protect the public and, as we move towards the new normal,
The time to regain ground
It is important to stop at one data no less, according to the World Tourism Organization, in 2020 the world tourism industry regressed 30 years, with one billion fewer travelers arrivals and losses of approximately 1.1 billion dollars in income from international tourism.
The Travel and Tourism Council has reported that around six million jobs in the travel and tourism industry and more than 110 billion dollars (US) of contribution to GDP are at risk in Latin America and the Caribbean alone. Therefore, it will be vital that each one put all their energy and better predisposition not to miss the enormous opportunity to rebuild the foundations of the sector.
