• Within the framework of World Tourism Day 2020, the TUI Care Foundation kicks off a series of free online sessions
• Over seven weeks, experts and practitioners in the field will come together to debate the most relevant topics around a sustainable reconstruction of the tourism industry 
• The first panel discussion, “Tourism Foundations in Focus”, will take place on Monday, September 28. For registrations please follow this link.   

Within the framework of World Tourism Day 2020, the TUI Care Foundation has launched a weekly Web Series, in which experts and practitioners in the field will discuss the latest trends in areas ranging from single-use plastics and social entrepreneurship, to regenerative agriculture and education. The online event is free and open to the general public.

Tourism is well known for being a driver for job creation and economic prosperity. It accounts for one in ten jobs worldwide and has led the job creation statistics repeatedly over the last few years. But after the world came to a standstill earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many people globally, whose livelihoods depend on tourism, face enormous challenges. Lockdowns and restrictions to international travel have led to a substantial fall of 65% in international tourist arrivals in the first half of 2020. According to UNWTO 100 to 120 million direct tourism jobs are now at risk. In this context, the work of Tourism Foundations is more relevant than ever. Rebuilding tourism to come back stronger, with better inclusive growth and the sustainable development of tourism destinations, is crucial.

Nico Visser, Member of the Board of Trustees of the TUI Care Foundation, explains: “Although some destinations around the world are preparing to lift restrictions on travel and mobility, the travel and tourism sector still faces many challenges before it can resume its activity globally. With so many lessons to be learnt from the pandemic, we at the TUI Care Foundation aim to put the topic of inclusive development of our holiday destinations at the very centre of discussions on the future of tourism.” To do so, the Foundation has gathered relevant local and international players working at the juxtaposition of tourism and development work to discuss the challenges and opportunities for strengthening local resilience through tourism growth in times of Corona.  

The international event will kick off on September 28 with a high-level panel of representatives from leading international Tourism Foundations: Darrell Wade, Co-founder and Chairman of Intrepid Travel; Jamie Sweeting, President of Planeterra Foundation, Jeremey Sampson, CEO of the Travel Foundation; and Nico Visser, Member of the Board of Trustees of the TUI Care Foundation. 

The one-hour panel will discuss the challenges that have emerged or have become more pressing as a result of the pandemic and the opportunities for the industry to grow sustainably while strengthening local resilience.