With six years to go for the deadline of the Global Goals, UN Tourism Secretary-General has called for a people-centered transformation of tourism.

The call came as UN Tourism again partnered with the World Economic Forum on the Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024. The report makes clear tourism’s importance to both developed and developing economies everywhere, underscoring the sector’s rapid recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. At the same time, the Index also echo  the rise of challenges including air connectivity, labor shortages and uneven adoption of technology and innovation.

On the occasion of the launch, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “As we move forward, I renew my call to ensure that communities be put at the center of tourism development everywhere.

We have a responsibility to make tourism jobs valued and decent jobs and that we make tourism an opportunity for a better future for everyone, women and global youth especially.”

The launch of the Travel and Tourism Development Index comes as UN Tourism releases its latest World Tourism Barometer. The data shows that international tourism reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024.

More than 285 million tourists travelled internationally in January-March, a 20% increase on the previous year, with the sector on track to grow by 2% above 2019 levels by the end of 2024.