Gloria Guevara: Tourism against illegal migration – act now!

Gloria Guevara: Tourism against illegal migration – act now!

Gloria Guevara, an experienced tourism professional and former minister of Mexico, has announced her candidacy for the position of Secretary General of the UN Tourism. During a digital press conference, she discussed the global migration crisis and put forward the thesis that tourism can make a significant contribution to curbing illegal migration through its soft power. This reports fvw.de.

Guevara, who served as President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), is seeking reform of the World Tourism Organization. Its goal is to address complex tourism challenges through strategic partnerships with the private sector, industry associations, NGOs and academic institutions.

Strategic initiatives and partnerships

A key element of their campaign is to create a platform for public, private and community dialogue to drive impact and investment with a clear purpose and strategic direction. Guevara also plans to revive and promote the affiliate program, which will include participation in research, policy interventions and dialogue with various stakeholders.

She highlights the need to also target small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector in order to address their needs. She also intends to work with experts to build on existing knowledge and create a business environment that is competitive. This requires a revision of foreign investment rules, the efficiency of the legal framework and access to finance for SMEs.

Trends and challenges in transportation

Guevara also points to the need for improved air transport connectivity, which is crucial for international mobility, trade and tourism. From 2010 to 2019, travel and tourism investment increased from $754.6 billion to $1.1 trillion. However, these fell 24% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovered to $856 billion in 2022, with the forecast to reach $955 billion by the end of 2023.

However, the challenges in air transport cannot be overlooked, particularly in Africa, where only 2.1% of global air transport activity takes place, despite having 18% of the global population living there. In many regions, such as the Caribbean and Pacific Islands, air transport connectivity is also severely limited.

Guevara also places great emphasis on the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to improve customer service and operational efficiency. Despite significant investments in travel security since the September 11 attacks, a survey shows that 87% of travelers are willing to share their immigration information to speed up processes at airports.

In summary, Guevara shows how tourism not only brings economic benefits, but also contributes to solving social challenges such as migration. Their vision combined innovative approaches with cross-collaboration to better position the sector for future challenges. For more information, visit their website gloriaguevara.com.