Ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit on September 9-10, UNWTO has worked with the Presidency through the Indian Ministry of Tourism on the G20 Tourism and SDG Panel. Halfway between the launch in 2015 of the 2030 Agenda and the deadline to meet it, this tool will help boost the contribution of the sector to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the 17 SDGs.
Goa's Roadmap for Tourism and the SDGs
The Panel shows the pillars of the Goa Roadmap for Tourism as a vehicle to achieve the SDGs around the five priority areas set out for the Tourism Task Force, which are: 1. Green Tourism; 2. Digitization; 3. Skills; 4. Tourism MiPYMES and 5. Destination Management.
The UNWTO-G20 Dashboard includes more than 20 case studies in these five areas and will be updated regularly during 2023 and in the coming years, providing a single reference for tourism policies and initiatives in their contribution to the SDGs.
Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili says: "The G20 countries account for more than 70% of global tourism. Their leadership in transforming the sector is decisive. The G20 Tourism and SDGs Panel is a concrete result of the Tourism Working Group of the G20 and a reference tool for all "UNWTO is very pleased to have collaborated with the Ministry of Tourism of India to make this possible."
Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development, North-Eastern Region, Government of India, added: "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has consistently championed the transformative power of digitization across all sectors, including tourism. Under his visionary leadership, India is transforming into a digitally empowered country.Inspired by his vision and commitment, the G20 Tourism and SDGs Panel is a testament to our nation's digital advancements and serves as a beacon of knowledge for all public and private stakeholders globally. It offers a wealth of knowledge and showcases best practice, all aimed at steering the tourism industry towards greater sustainability, resilience and inclusion."
Tourism and the G20 economies
The G20 economies account for around 85% of world GDP, more than 75% of world trade and around two-thirds of the world's population.
In 2022, the G20 welcomed 74% of international tourists and 73% of tourism exports from around the world. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, direct tourism GDP reached 3.7% of the G20 economies.
The G20 Tourism and SDGs Panel is included in the UNWTO-led Tourism Platform for the SDGs.