Looking back COVID-19 support package for the tourism sector

    As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism – a significant economic sector – saw a severe slump, including in the countries of the Global South. The BMZ responded to this challenge by launching its tourism COVID-19 support package so as to address the tourism sector in order to foster crisis management, recovery and resilience.

    Hotel kitchen in Rwanda
    Hotel kitchen in Rwanda — © GIZ/ADMA --pageNumber-- of --total--
    Hotel employee in Rwanda
    Hotel employee in Rwanda — © GIZ/ADMA --pageNumber-- of --total--
    Chef in a restaurant in South Africa
    Chef in a restaurant in South Africa — © GIZ/Elma Storm --pageNumber-- of --total--
    Waitress in a hotel in Rwanda
    Waitress in a hotel in Rwanda — © GIZ/ADMA --pageNumber-- of --total--
    Buffet in a hotel in Singapore
    Buffet in a hotel in Singapore — © GIZ/Djulian --pageNumber-- of --total--

    The purpose of the support package was not only to maintain tourism infrastructure and enable stakeholders to start selling tourism-related products and services again but also to take a critical look at previous approaches, improve social and environmental aspects in the tourism sector, and make the tourism industry in developing countries and emerging economies more resilient to crisis.

    The COVID-19 tourism support package was implemented in more than 20 partner countries of the BMZ in cooperation with non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, industry associations, German tourism companies, and other cooperation partners.

    It focused on the following goals:

    • Training on digital technology for tourism industry workers
    • Equal opportunities for all people and empowerment of women
    • Improving resilience against crises through risk-informed management
    • Strengthening the protection of children in tourism
    • Improving the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises
    • Protecting biodiversity and the cultural heritage

    Results of the support package

    Cover: COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism

    COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism

    For Crisis Response, Recovery and Resilience

    PDF | 07/2022 | 6 MB, 44 Pages | Accessible
    Download

    Nearly 42,000 people received training as part of the projects.

    The activities helped to maintain or create over 8,500 jobs. Nearly 3,000 women were able to increase their incomes.

    The projects reached more than 3,000 companies. In addition, social media campaigns helped to sensitise 192 million people to the issues addressed by the support package.

    As at: 18/07/2024