Before the Corona crisis, the tourism sector employed around one in ten people worldwide and offered income opportunities to people from all walks of life, especially in developing and emerging countries. Now, international tourism has come to an almost complete standstill and the livelihoods of millions of people working in the sector are under threat. People in emerging and developing countries, where there is little or no government support, are particularly affected.

The emergency aid programme is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and focuses on 150 innovative new businesses in Mexico, Kenya, Indonesia and Jordan. It aims to empower local tourism structures to maintain jobs, create new prospects, and help TUI destinations revive international tourism and collaborate with the key actors in the German tourism industry. The programme is open for young, innovative businesses that operate in the Travel & Tourism sector or along the Tourism supply chain.