2021-12-29-亚开行-新冠疫情后的可持续旅游业_对亚洲及太平洋地区的见解和建议（英）_94页_1mb

Sustainable Tourism After COVID-19: Insights and Recommendations for Asia and the Pacific

1. Introduction

• Rationale: Tourism is a key driver of socioeconomic growth in Asia and the Pacific, supporting 150 million jobs and contributing to environmental protection. However, it often creates external costs, leading to inequality and unsustainable growth.
• COVID-19 Impact: Reduced by 74% globally, severely affecting economies and ecosystems. Diverse recovery scenarios emerge.
• Recommendation: "Build forward better" by aligning tourism with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and nature-based solutions.

2. Impact of COVID-19

Visitor Dimension:

• Revenue & Unemployment: Accommodation revenue fell 59% in Asia, airlines lost $371 billion, and tourism employment risked displacing 15.3 million workers in the region.
• Voluntary Restructuring: Businesses adapted to demand by shifting staff roles, offering experiences like cooking, delivery, and local tours.

Environmental Impacts:

• Reduced Emissions & Leakage: Aviation emissions dropped 60%, but tourism leakage (e.g., high water/energy use) persisted. Pandemics may exacerbate biodiversity-loss risks.
• Opportunity: Short-term closures helped wildlife (e.g., Great Barrier Reef) but long-term conservation requires green recovery.

3. Expert Insights

• COVID Impact on Women: Tourism disproportionately affects women due to gender-segregated roles (casual, service positions), limiting their access to stable employment and decision-making.
• Pacific Resilience: Pacific countries retained core cultural/values, leading to reeducation of traditional practices. Diversification of tourism markets (e.g., domestic travel) is crucial amid external weaknesses.
• Thailand Case: Rebranding toward sustainability (e.g., "Bio-Circular Green Economy") and inclusive market growth can rebuild the sector.

4. Analysis of Future Pathways

Four Scenarios (Forum for the Future, 2020):

1. Discipline—The Age of Technology: Post-pandemic focus on technology and standardization, raising privacy concerns.
2. Compete and Retreat—The End of Globalization: Nationalism may promote community resilience but risks limiting innovation and global exchanges.
3. Unsettled—Crisis as the New Normal: Uncertainty may restrict tourism investments, but innovative models (e.g., shorter trips, experiential travel) could thrive.
4. Transform—A Shift in Mindset: Requires systemic change toward sustainability, including carbon pricing and circular tourism.

5. Recommendations for Decision-Makers

Value-Driven Tourism:

• Focus on quality/impact, manage carrying capacity, leverage uniqueness, and measure progress transparently.

Decarbonizing Tourism:

• Set carbon reduction targets, foster sustainable aviation fuels, and implement certification schemes.

Tourism-Led Regeneration:

• Promote restoration, protect communities, foster inclusivity, and empower local businesses.

Diversification:

• Diversify markets/industries, support workforce diversity, and integrate tourism into broader economic strategies.

Improving Governance:

• Align policies across sectors, enhance public-private partnerships, and invest in data-driven strategies.

Aligning Tourism Finance with Sustainability:

• Explore revenue sources (e.g., bed taxes, carbon pricing), enable green finance options, and integrate sustainability criteria.

6. Implementation Considerations

• Governance needs to better integrate sustainability into policy, ensuring marginalized voices (women, informal workers) and leveraging synergies with SDGFunding partners and development agencies (e.g., ADB, UNWTO) are essential to implement recommendations.