UNWTO secretary-general, Taleb Rifai
EMERGING business models in travel should not be stifled, but fully embraced, a panel organised by the UNWTO agreed, albeit not without implementing measures to ensure a level playing field with traditional players.
At the 60th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Europe held in Vilnius, Lithuania, an expert panel made up of representatives from Airbnb, TripAdvisor, BeMyGuest, the Lithuanian Hotels and Restaurants Association, the European Commission, and more, concurred that the business opportunities afforded by peer-to-peer distribution should not be missed out on.
This is especially so as tourism dollars become ever more important for nations. “At a time when economic recovery is still quite slow, tourism has been a major contributor to the European economy, generating 404 billion euros (US$450 billion) in exports,” said UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai.
However, this should not cause unnecessary friction within the industry. At the same time, consumers still need to be ensured the same level of protection afforded to them by current industry stalwarts.
Said Rifai: “Sustainable measures and other tourism policies should be applicable to all business models, so that all stakeholders across the value chain hold the same level of responsibility with regard to the sector.”
“Only by working in cooperation and by building bridges will the tourism community be able to capitalise on the strong potential of the sector,” he added.
