With global travel and tourism expected to make a full recovery this year after the pandemic, the industry faces mounting pressure to deliver on its sustainability pledges.
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00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 Hello from Berlin, where the world is coming together
00:10 for the ITB Travel Trade Show.
00:13 We're here to explore the latest trends and talking points
00:17 shaping the industry and the holidays and experiences
00:21 of tomorrow.
00:22 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:26 From Thailand to Turkey, India to Italy,
00:29 all sorts of destinations are here competing for attention
00:34 from the crowds.
00:35 This is the year global tourism is expected to fully recover
00:39 after the pandemic, despite economic and geopolitical
00:44 challenges.
00:45 But it comes with mounting pressure
00:47 to deliver on sustainability.
00:50 We see that people want to travel,
00:52 and they actually diversify much more.
00:54 So there are more countries in the spotlight,
00:57 even more than before.
00:58 And of course, sustainability and responsibility
01:01 is a very important topic.
01:03 People are more mindful now, and they
01:05 see that there is a responsibility
01:07 in using sustainable options.
01:10 For Italy, a favorite on Europe's tourism map,
01:13 sustainability is a crucial issue.
01:16 It's one of many countries taking action
01:18 to manage flows of visitors and to protect cultural heritage
01:23 and the environment.
01:24 In Venice, there's a new entry fee
01:27 for day trippers during peak times of the year.
01:31 It won't reduce by itself tourism flows,
01:34 but it certainly will give much more awareness, on the one
01:37 hand, to the city, to the citizens,
01:41 and also to the tourism sector of Venice,
01:44 but also to the tourists.
01:45 They should be both responsibly taking care of these issues.
01:49 And I think it's a question of really of awareness,
01:52 which is changing completely.
01:54 Sustainability is also on the mind of Oman,
02:01 as it looks to grow annual tourist numbers to 11 million
02:04 by 2040, putting quality over quantity,
02:09 as it works to diversify its economy.
02:13 Sustainability is a call for our tourism industry.
02:16 We don't look for mass tourism, because we
02:19 are aware of footprint.
02:20 When we promote our destination, we
02:22 promote as a premium destination,
02:23 so we look more on quality.
02:27 Japan is a country encouraging tourists
02:29 to go off the beaten track, to not only visit the hot spots,
02:33 but also to discover lesser-known places and nature,
02:38 and to connect with communities, something
02:40 it hopes visitors will do when they flock to the World
02:43 Expo in Osaka next year.
02:47 One of the key themes of the Expo
02:49 is sustainability and also designing the future.
02:53 And this also relates to tourism.
02:56 We hope that visitors will travel to Japan,
02:59 enjoy a couple of days at the Expo in Osaka,
03:02 and travel beyond Osaka.
03:04 Osaka is a very good hub to travel throughout Japan
03:07 from north to south.
03:10 Algeria is looking to grow visitor numbers to 10 million
03:14 a year by 2030.
03:16 Health and wellness tourism based around thermal waters
03:20 is a focus, along with adventures in the Sahara.
03:23 [SPEAKING FRENCH]
03:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:47 Thailand has long attracted travellers
03:49 with its natural beauty and vibrant culture
03:52 and traditions.
03:54 But it too is developing health and wellness tourism.
03:57 Countries reporting a 20% rise in demand since the pandemic.
04:03 The destination itself can be regenerative.
04:06 And we also have to try authentic procedure
04:11 for health and wellness.
04:12 For example, like Thai massage, we have a lot of demand
04:15 from all over the world.
04:17 Tech is also a big talking point amongst the crowds
04:20 here at ITB, artificial intelligence in particular.
04:26 When we talk about the shortage of skills to workers,
04:29 it's a great option to fulfil skills and work that
04:33 has to be done.
04:34 But the people are missing for that.
04:35 So AI can definitely jump in that and can help out.
04:39 And we see it in basically, for example, customer services.
04:42 You can use AI for customer service, definitely.
04:45 Travel is an industry that's in buoyant mood
04:49 as it navigates its way to a new future.
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04:58 (upbeat music)