CULTURAL TOURISM & COVID19
With COVID-19 bringing global tourism to a standstill, millions of people in quarantine have been seeking out cultural and travel experiences from their homes. Culture has proven indispensable during this period, and the demand for virtual access to museums, heritage sites, theatres and performances has reached unprecedented levels.
With more than 80% of UNESCO World Heritage properties having closed down, the livelihoods of millions of cultural professionals have been seriously jeopardized. If tourism is set to contribute to the survival of the culture sector, i.e. cinemas, arts and many other segments, it should strengthen the cultural identity and branding of tourism destinations.
Despite all the challenges, the tourism and culture sectors are facing an opportunity to create new partnerships and collaboration. They are bound to jointly reinvent and diversify the offer, attract new audiences, develop new skills and support the world’s transition to the new conditions.
UNWTO Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department have outlines 6 recommendations to help pave the path to resilience and recovery for the cultural and creative sector:
- Improve information and data exchange between sectors
- Launch innovative alliances
- Inspire a more sustainable future for cultural tourism
- Form a more resilient tourism and culture workforce
- Strengthen governance structures for better coordination and information sharing
- Attract new audiences
To read more in depth about the 6 recommendations above, follow the link below:
