In Conversation with WTTC’s Government Affairs Team: Shaping Global Tourism at the G20 Brazil
We caught up with WTTC’s Government Affairs team after the G20 Tourism Ministerial in Belém, Brazil to discuss their key takeaways and future focus areas.
As the trusted authority in Travel & Tourism, WTTC plays a critical role in shaping effective policy by providing governments with valuable insights and fostering collaboration with the private sector to jointly shape the future of Travel & Tourism.
Let’s start with the basics. Can you explain how the G20 works, what is its purpose, and why WTTC is a welcome voice at the table?
So, the G20 brings together the world’s major economies, and the top-level meeting is the annual summit where Presidents and Prime Ministers come together. But throughout the year, there are a lot of other meetings happening, covering a range of topics. In recent years, we’ve seen an official tourism stream added, which is very positive for the industry.
Within this tourism stream, there are meetings involving key tourism officials, all culminating in the Tourism Ministerial Meeting. That’s where the Tourism Ministers from G20 countries, along with a few invited nations, come together to discuss the big issues.
We’re honoured that as WTTC we participate in these high-level discussions, as the only private-sector representative. Sitting alongside international institutions like the OECD and UN Tourism, we’re able to give insights on behalf of the private sector, which is crucial considering the importance of the private and public sector working together to shape the future of tourism globally.
Looking back at the G20, what were some of the highlights and key takeaways?
The big takeaway for us was just how important it is to have this private sector voice, and seeing its value also being welcomed by stakeholders on all sides. It was really rewarding to see so many Ministers openly talking about how important it is to have private sector involvement.
Another thing that came up a lot was the importance of having the right data. Several Ministers highlighted this as well and referenced our WTTC data, including also our Environmental and Social data. It’s great to know that we’re bringing value to the table with our insights.
And, you know, it’s always a work in progress figuring out how the public and private sectors can work together most effectively, but that there’s a real willingness to collaborate is incredibly encouraging. Both sides understand that our sector benefits from collaboration and seem ready to keep building on that momentum.
How does the G20 fit into the wide WTTC Government Affairs strategy and activities?
The G20 really ties together all the different elements of what we do. Our strategy within Government Affairs focuses on three key areas. First, we bring our data and insights to policymakers to ensure they have the best possible basis to inform their activities. Secondly, we build bilateral relationships with key government leaders, which helps understand their challenges and find ways we can collaborate. And third, we serve as a bridge between WTTC Members and governments, whether it’s facilitating dialogue or exploring investment opportunities.
The G20 is a great example of where all of this comes together. We were able to get our data into the conversations, with Julia presenting at the Ministerial. We also strengthened our bilateral relationships with key leaders, and our Public-Private Dialogue created direct exchanges between WTTC Members and government Ministers. So, for us, the G20 really showcases everything we aim to achieve in Government Affairs.
What were some of the key themes that stood out from the WTTC Public-Private Dialogue?
One of the big themes was how the public and private sectors are collaborating on education and training. A great example that came up was a project in South Africa, where a partnership between Airbnb and a university is integrating relevant skills into the education to ensure that students have the right foundations for the private sector.
We also heard about an exciting initiative in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where the success of Travel & Tourism business has been enhancing primary education opportunities for local children. It’s those kinds of partnerships that make a real difference.
Looking ahead, what’s next for the Government Affairs team?
There’s a lot happening! We’ve got the WTTC Global Summit coming up. Beyond that, after the Global Summit, our attention will shift to the Ministers Summit at World Travel Market (WTM) in London. This year, the focus is on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how emerging technologies are shaping the future of travel and hospitality.
We’re also glad to see Travel & Tourism becoming a bigger part of international conversations. This is illustrated for example by Italy hosting the first G7 Tourism Ministerial next month, the first time, there’s set to be a dedicated tourism focus as part of the G7 agenda. It’s fantastic to see tourism getting more attention at these high-level public forums. We’re also already looking forward to the G20 next year in South Africa, and we’re excited to keep building on the progress that’s been made.
At the same time, we’re continuing to grow our core activities. We’re really proud of the relationships we’ve build with governments, and we’ll keep working closely with them and WTTC Members to identify new opportunities to collaborate and help grow the industry sustainably.
