Devastated by pandemic, tourism sector must be rebuilt in a safe, equitable and climate friendly way – UN chief

25 August 2020

Economic Development UN 

Tourism is much more than visiting cultural landmarks or swimming in tropical beaches; it is “one of the world’s most important economic sectors”, the UN chief said on Tuesday.

 

devastate v.   /ˈdevəsteɪt/  

1.to completely destroy a place or an area 彻底破坏；摧毁；毁灭•The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。

2.[ often passive ] to make sb feel very shocked and sad 使震惊；使极为忧伤；使极为悲痛

equitable adj.   /ˈekwɪtəbl/  ( formal ) fair and reasonable; treating everyone in an equal way 公平合理的；公正的

Launching his latest policy brief, on tourism, Secretary-General António Guterres, pointed out that the industry “employs one-in-every-ten people on Earth and provides livelihoods to hundreds of millions more”.

The key to better decision making? As the tourism sector restarts in a safe and responsible way, it is essential that we all do so on the basis of accurate and clear information.

— World Tourism Organization (@UNWTO) August 20, 2020

Strong data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that 100 to 120 million direct tourism jobs are at risk. And the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts a loss of 1.5 to 2.8 per cent of global GDP.

Describing tourism as an opportunity to experience the world’s cultural and natural riches, bringing people closer to each other and highlighting our common humanity, Mr. Guterres said: “One might say that tourism is itself one of the wonders of the world”.

A sobering glimpse

sobering adj. /ˈsəʊbərɪŋ/  making you feel serious and think carefully 令人警醒的；使人冷静的 • a sobering effect/experience/thought, etc. 令人警醒的效果、经历、思想等

glimpse /ɡlɪmps/  

1.~ (at sb/sth)~ (of sb/sth)a look at sb/sth for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely 一瞥；一看 •He caught a glimpse of her in the crowd. 他一眼瞥见她在人群里。

2.~ (into sth)~ (of sth)a short experience of sth that helps you to understand it 短暂的感受（或体验、领会）•a fascinating glimpse into life in the ocean 

Among other things, the brief finds that, due to the unprecedented shutdown of global travel and trade, tourism may be the sector worst affected by the coronavirus. 
“It has been so painful to see how tourism has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic”, the UN chief reflected.

unprecedented  adj. /ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd/  that has never happened, been done or been known before 前所未有的；空前的；没有先例的 • The situation is unprecedented in modern times. 这种情况在现代还没有出现过。

Moreover, there are secondary impacts, such as increase in poaching, as people search for other sources of income.
In the first five months of this year, international tourist arrivals have fallen by more than half and around $320 billion in tourism exports were lost, according to the top UN official. 

poach v. /pəʊtʃ/  

1.  水煮，炖，煨（尤指鱼）•poached salmon 清炖鲑鱼

2.去壳水煮蛋；3.（在他人地界）偷猎，偷捕 •The elephants are poached for their tusks. 为获取象牙而偷猎大象。

4.~ (sb/sth) (from sb/sth) to take and use sb/sth that belongs to sb/sth else, especially in a secret, dishonest or unfair way 盗用；挖走（人员等） •The company poached the contract from their main rivals. 这家公司窃取了其主要竞争对手的合同。

“Many are in the informal economy or in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which employ a high proportion of women and young people”, Mr. Guterres continued.

As for women, rural communities, indigenous peoples and many other historically marginalized populations, “tourism has been a vehicle for integration, empowerment and generating income”, he added.

indigenous adj. /ɪnˈdɪdʒənəs/  ~ (to...) ( formal ) belonging to a particular place rather than coming to it from somewhere else 本地的；当地的；土生土长的 • the indigenous peoples/languages of the area 该地区的本地人╱语言

marginalize /ˈmɑːdʒɪnəˌlaɪz/ To marginalize a group of people means to make them feel isolated and unimportant. 使边缘化; 排挤

empowerment /ɪmˈpaʊəmənt/  The empowerment of a person or group of people is the process of giving them power and status in a particular situation. 权利赋予

Conservation pillar

conservation /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən/n. 保存，保持；保护

pillar  /ˈpɪlə(r)/ n.柱子，柱形物；栋梁；墩；vt. 用柱支持

Conservation pillar：保护区支柱（指旅游行业带来的经济活动）

Tourism is also a key pillar for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. 

“The fall in revenues has led to increased poaching and habitat destruction in and around protected areas, and the closure of many World Heritage Sites has deprived communities of vital livelihoods”, informed the UN chief.

Rebuilding

The Secretary-General underscored the importance of rebuilding the tourism sector in a way that is “safe, equitable and climate friendly”.

Noting that transport-related greenhouse gas emissions could “rebound sharply if recovery is not aligned with climate goals”, he stressed that sustainable and responsible travel is imperative to support the millions that depend on tourism for their livelihoods.

Key areas

Mr. Guterres outlined five priority areas to aid recovery and re-establish an industry that is safe for host communities, workers and travellers.

His first task is to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the crisis – particularly women’s employment and economic security.
Secondly, he suggests building resilience across the entire tourism sector.

Maximizing technology throughout the industry, including by promoting innovation and investing in digital skills, is his third priority.
His fourth point is to promote sustainability and green growth in managing the shift towards a resilient, carbon-neutral tourism sector.

neutral /ˈnjuːtrəl/ adj. 中立的，中性的；中立国的；非彩色的；n. 中立国；中立者；非彩色；齿轮的空档   carbon-neutral tourism：碳平衡旅游业 相当于环保型旅游业

And finally, he flags that partnerships must be fostered to responsibly ease and lift travel restrictions in a coordinated manner to restart and transform tourism towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Let us ensure tourism regains its position as a provider of decent jobs, stable incomes and the protection of our cultural and natural heritage”, concluded the Secretary-General.

Stronger together

In addition to these priorities, UNWTO underscored that continued coordination and cooperation at every level is critical. 

UNWTO:联合国世界旅游组织(United Nations World Tourism Organization)
Emphasizing the guiding principle of “stronger together”, UNWTO’s leadership has warned against the short and long-term consequences of Governments taking unilateral decisions. 

unilateral adj. /ˌjuːnɪˈlætrəl/  done by one member of a group or an organization without the agreement of the other members 单方的 • a unilateral decision 单方面的决定

“The situation is changing every day”, said UNWTO chief Zurab Po****kashvili. “It is impossible today to make a forecast for the next year”.

Nuts and bolts

nuts and bolts ：the essential or practical details 必不可少的细节; 实际的细节

While UNWTO too the lead in drafting the brief, 13 other UN agencies, funds or programmes have contributed, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Women and the UNCTAD. 

Among other things, it found that, due to the unprecedented shutdown of global travel and trade, tourism may be the sector worst affected by COVID-19. 

原文链接：https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/08/1070902