tourism

ITF and Dominican Republic come together to improve labour conditions

Mark_D — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:21:00 +0000

ITF and Dominican Republic come together to improve labour conditions

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is forging a new partnership with the Dominican Republic through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Labor, aimed at promoting the protection of labour rights, reinforcing social dialogue, and improving working conditions in the country’s transport sector.

Under the agreement, the ITF and the Dominican Republic commit to work closely together to ensure nationwide compliance with labour legislation and international labour standards, particularly in sectors such as transport, logistics, and tourism — areas characterised by high labour mobility and significant relevance to the national economy.

"The signing of this MoU represents a new achievement in the region and constitutes a key instrument to advance decent work and ensure that transformations in the transport sector take place with social justice and trade union participation,” said David Massiah, ITF Tourism Chair.

The agreement establishes a cooperation framework designed to develop joint actions that strengthen social dialogue, improve occupational safety and health conditions, and promote technical and professional training for workers, trade union leaders, and institutional actors.

A central pillar of the agreement is collaboration aimed at preventing and eliminating unacceptable forms of work, such as child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation. The ITF will contribute studies, data, and methodologies that facilitate the detection and eradication of these practices. In addition, it will promote research initiatives to analyse emerging trends and strengthen evidence-based policymaking.

Edgar Díaz, ITF Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Secretary, said: “With this alliance, the ITF reaffirms its role as a global actor in defending the rights of transport workers. It also positions the Dominican Republic at the forefront of an international network dedicated to promoting fair, safe, and sustainable working conditions.”

In accordance with the MoU, the ITF and the Ministry of Labor will designate focal points for coordination, develop joint work plans, and establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure the labour and social impact of the actions implemented. The agreement, which is non-binding and has an indefinite duration, creates a stable platform for ongoing cooperation between the federation and the Dominican State.

The document was signed by the Minister of Labor, Eddy Olivares Ortega, and ITF Deputy General Secretary, Rob Johnston, with the participation of Edgar Díaz, ITF Regional Secretary, David Massiah, Chair of the ITF Tourism Section, Santiago Zamora, member of the ITF Global Tourism Committee, Ricardo de los Santos, President of FENATRADO, and Jacobo Ramos Crispín, President of the CNTD and FENATRAZONAS.

Mark_D 09 Feb 2026

health and safety

logistics

rights

tourism

Tourism

Latin America

Lufthansa Airlines pulls crew from striking US hotel in victory for international solidarity

Rosalyn Smith — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:18:30 +0000

Lufthansa Airlines pulls crew from striking US hotel in victory for international solidarity

After several weeks of intense negotiations and global action, the Lufthansa Group answered union calls to stop using the Hilton San Francisco Union Square hotel, where workers are on strike, for layover accommodation for their crews.

USA union UNITE HERE and the German union ver.di, both affiliates of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), have been working with the ITF to ask airlines to avoid struck hotels and not compel their crews to cross picket lines.

In a significant win for striking hotel workers, Condor and now Lufthansa airlines have agreed to stop using the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. Until Wednesday, 13 November, Lufthansa used the hotel for many years for their crew layovers for the 60 flights in and out of the city every week. They used an estimated 60 rooms a day which would be 21,900 room nights a year.

ver.di, the only trade union in Germany for workers across the aviation industry, mobilised its influence to engage Lufthansa in discussions which would prioritise crew rest and wellbeing.

ver.di, met with the leadership from the Lufthansa Group to urge them to find alternative hotels for their employees until the dispute is settled.

Götz Boecke, ver.di representative on the Lufthansa's cabin crew works council said: “This is an important victory not only for striking workers but for the airline staff who rely on a safe and supportive hotel environment to gain the crucial rest they need during layovers to safely operate flights. Crossing picket lines and staying in hotels impacted by strike action does not give crew the rest they need.

“Lufthansa has shown great leadership by putting the health and well-being of its crews above its longstanding relationship with Hilton. Other companies should take note and follow suit. Our members, Lufthansa pilots and cabin crew, look forward to returning to their usual hotel once this dispute is settled. This is the power of international solidarity, made possible through our affiliation to the ITF.”

Airline crews have been affected by the hotel strikes in the US which have seen 10,000 workers walk off the job in US cities since early September.

Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary, said: “This is the power of global solidarity in action. We are glad Lufthansa has joined other airlines in moving crew out of striking hotels, proving that responsible companies don’t stand by while workers’ rights are exploited. The pressure is on Hilton – they can no longer ignore their obligations. Workers’ rights are not up for debate. This should serve as a wake-up call.”

“The ITF and our affiliates around the world will continue to back striking workers from Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott until they secure a fair contract, however long it takes.”

Gwen Mills, the International President of UNITE HERE, said: "We are grateful to ver.di's leadership and for their solidarity during our strike. Hotel workers are proud to take care of the flight crews who make it possible for people to visit San Francisco, and Lufthansa crews are some of the most frequent guests at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square.

“Workers are reaching out across borders and oceans to show their support. This profound act of international solidarity is deeply moving to Hilton workers who have been on strike for over seven weeks."

The hotel workers currently on strike, from bellman to back of house laundry staff, are demanding higher wages, better healthcare, fairer workloads and a return to pre-pandemic staffing.

Sara Nelson, International President of the AFA-CWA and Chair of the ITF’s Civil Aviation Section said: “Solidarity is a force stronger than gravity and ITF unions know it! Cheers to our Lufthansa union colleagues who convinced their management to move crews out of the hotels where workers are striking.

“Our collective fight is against corporate greed. That means the working class around the world standing together and showing the corporate class that we will exercise our power every time to ensure a fair deal for the people who provide all the value to our worldwide economy. This is one, big labour movement.”

Notes

About ver.di: With about 2 million members, ver.di protects conditions for workers across over 1,000 professions in Germany.

About UNITE HERE: UNITE HERE is a union of people committed to changing lives in the hospitality industry by making sure jobs are safe, respected, and provide enough to live on. UNITE HERE is currently running an international “Respect Our Work” bargaining campaign for hotel staff, urging the public not to use struck hotels in any affected city: https://unitehere.org/campaign/time-for-hotels-to-respect-our-work-in-2024/

About the ITF: The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve working lives; connecting trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for their members. We are the voice for nearly 16.5 million working women and men in the transport industry across the world.

Rosalyn Smith 20 Nov 2024

Tourism workers in the Caribbean must be protected to ensure growth, says ITF

Rosalyn Smith — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 09:19:59 +0000

Tourism workers in the Caribbean must be protected to ensure growth, says ITF

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), International Union of Food, Agriculture, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) are calling for more protections for workers and resilience building to ensure the travel and tourism sector thrives in the Caribbean.

In an open letter to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), published to coincide with the CTO’s Tourism Month, the ITF, IUF and their Caribbean affiliates, call on the organisation to affirm its commitment to unity, recovery and sustainability in the region.

Eight out of ten of the most tourism-dependent countries globally are in the Caribbean – major issues are. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism accounts for 11.5% of GDP in the Caribbean ($67.9bn) and 15.2% of jobs (2.78m) as of 2023 (F).

David Massiah, ITF’s Tourism Services Section Chair, said: “Despite the economic power the travel and tourism sector holds in the Caribbean, there are major issues threatening the industry and its workforce which must be urgently addressed.”

In a groundbreaking study on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) trends, projections, risks and opportunities in travel and tourism, released by the Tourism Workers’ Alliance in September this year, widespread poor labour conditions and a lack of decent work were found to create significant systemic risks.

Massiah, who is from Antigua and Barbuda, where tourism is estimated to contribute to 93% of the country’s GDP, added: “Tourism thrives when workers are safe, secure, motivated, and protected.”

With new modern slavery, due diligence and ESG regulations coming into force, the CTO must prioritise supporting businesses with monitoring, training and due diligence processes to protect workers and ensure social sustainability.

The climate crisis must also be urgently addressed through the establishment of a sustainable transport committee for a just transitions and safe destination. This would comprise representatives from the Ministry of Transport, ITF and IUF affiliated trade unions, ensuring tourism and travel workers have a seat at the decision-making table.

Rob Johnston, ITF’s Assistant General Secretary, said: “Actions speak louder than words – the CTO needs to practise what they preach this Caribbean Tourism Month and ensure that workers’ rights are at the heart of the industry’s growth. The future of tourism in the region depends on it.”

In the open letter, the ITF, IUF and their Caribbean affiliates, are advocating for six key asks:

Strengthen collaborations and partnerships to ensure that national and regional government, labour representatives and the tourism private sector jointly address issues related to conditions of work in the tourism sector, for example through Destination Framework Agreements or memorandums of understanding (MoUs).
Create a CTO Advisory Council that includes union representatives to ensure workers’ perspectives are integrated into national and regional tourism policies and initiatives.
Build capacity to improve monitoring, measuring and reporting of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. With new Modern Slavery and ESG regulations coming into place, unions can support businesses in developing indicators, monitoring, and reporting on direct and supply chain impacts on workers.
Support and implement ambitious regulatory and monitoring frameworks with bold targets that protect people and the planet, including workers and human rights through the tourism supply chain. The UN Tourism’s Statistical Framework, and the newly developed ESG Framework for Tourism Businesses lead the way to fully integrate social sustainability and engagement with unions, and we call on CTO to follow their lead.
Develop and promote guidelines and training for fair employment practices within the tourism sector, encouraging businesses to adopt practices that contribute to a resilient, motivated, and sustainable workforce, particularly for youth and women. Encourage tourism employers to support and integrate the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) decent work agenda in their business and across the supply chain.
Establish a sustainable transport committee for a just transitions and safe destination comprising representatives from the Ministry of Transport, ITF and IUF affiliated trade unions, and tourism transport employers. The committee will identify key elements of a just transition to a zero-carbon transport sector, which has direct implications for destination and community resilience.

“We call on the CTO to work with us in building a travel and tourism industry in the Caribbean that’s sustainable in every sense of the word – environmentally, economically, and socially,” added Massiah.

Notes

About the Tourism Worker’s Alliance: The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers Associations (IUF) have joined forces to create the Tourism Workers’ Alliance. The Alliance is a collaborative trade union initiative designed to align the efforts of the ITF and IUF to amplify the voices of over 270 million tourism and transport workers.

About the IUF: The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) has 407 affiliates in 126 countries. From the fields to factories to hotels, restaurants and fast food chains, the IUF organises, fights and wins for workers across the food chain.

Rosalyn Smith 12 Nov 2024

German union urges Lufthansa to avoid Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott hotels where workers are on strike in the US

Rosalyn Smith — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 12:41:49 +0000

German union urges Lufthansa to avoid Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott hotels where workers are on strike in the US

ver.di, the German union, is calling for Lufthansa Group to stop using Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott hotels to provide layover accommodation for their crew, during the current strikes that have seen 4,700 hotel workers walk off the job in bicoastal cities across the United States.

Further strikes were announced on Sunday in Boston, when 600 people walked off the job. Hotel workers are currently on strike at Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott hotels in Boston, Honolulu, San Diego, and San Francisco. Workers in all four cities say they will strike until they win new contracts, and more strikes could begin at any time.

Lufthansa Group operates over 40 flights to San Francisco, five flights to San Diego and 25 flights to Boston weekly, and has agreements with the hotels where workers are on strike to accommodate its staff in all three cities.

Christine Behle, Deputy Chairwoman of ver.di, will be speaking with leadership from the Lufthansa Group in October and urging them to find alternative hotels for their employees until the dispute is settled.

Behle said: “Flight crew rely on the important services that striking workers provide at these hotels. Proper rest after long-haul flights is crucial for airline staff to be able to do their jobs properly – and safely.”

“In the past, we’ve managed to resolve our concerns respectfully with Lufthansa. We hope they will see how important using alternative hotels during these strikes is for their crew’s health and wellbeing.”

Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), of which UNITE HERE and ver.di are affiliates, said: “Workers are breaking their backs to keep these hotels in business, and for what reward? Despite skyrocketing living costs including housing, wages have not kept pace.”

“These hotels have been put on notice. ver.di is not the first union to recommend crew be moved away from hotels on strike, and it won’t be the last. International flight crew are watching this dispute closely and their unions will be calling for airlines to do what is right and safe for their staff.”

The hotel workers, ranging from front desk clerks to back of house laundry staff, are demanding higher wages, better healthcare, fairer workloads and a return to pre-pandemic staffing.

“Our union members will undoubtedly be concerned about the working conditions of the staff at the hotels they’re staying in. The impact of picket lines and reduced services will undermine the rest that crew need to safely operate flights that carry thousands of passengers between San Francisco and Germany.

“We call on these hotels to swiftly resolve the disputes that have seen workers go out on strike, so our members can continue to use these hotels.” Behle added.

Notes

About ver.di: With about 2 million members, ver.di protects conditions for workers across over 1,000 professions in Germany.

Rosalyn Smith 07 Oct 2024

strike

tourism

NORTH AMERICA

Tourism Workers’ Alliance ESG report calls for urgent labour and human rights reforms to secure a sustainable tourism future

Rosalyn Smith — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 23:00:00 +0000

Tourism Workers’ Alliance ESG report calls for urgent labour and human rights reforms to secure a sustainable tourism future

LONDON – September 27, 2024 - The Tourism Workers’ Alliance, a joint initiative of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Union of Food, Agriculture, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), has released a groundbreaking study on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) trends, projections, risks and opportunities in travel and tourism.

Drawing on multiple perspectives from across the industry – including unions, companies, investors and regulators – the report, ‘Why The ‘S’ In ESG Matters: Social Sustainability and Labour and Human Rights in Travel And Tourism’, outlines critical social risks and presents a clear business case for tackling labour and human rights issues head-on, alongside seven actionable steps for improving conditions across the sector.

“We get it, the industry needs to turn a profit – but to do so on the backs of workers is unfair and unsustainable,” said ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton. “Too many tourism workers are living day-to-day, stuck in a cycle of low pay, precarious work, and unsafe working conditions. And these problems aren’t just ethical or moral failures – they are business risks that threaten the long-term viability of the industry.”

Cotton welcomed the emergence of ESG as a step in the right direction but emphasised that the entire sector needs to double down on the 'S' to make real change.

“There’s a clear and compelling business case for improved workers’ and human rights, it’s smart business. Treating workers better helps attract and retain talent, mitigates risks in the supply chain, and opens up new investment opportunities to build a more sustainable future for tourism.”

Key Findings

The report reveals the urgent need for better social governance to reduce systemic risks and secure a thriving industry:

Tourism is a major global employer, but widespread poor labour conditions and a lack of decent work create systemic risks.
Migrant, informal, and undeclared workers continue to be marginalised, facing high levels of exploitation.
Addressing the root causes of global labour shortages requires the industry to improve working conditions for tourism workers, especially women, youth and migrant workers.
Adhering to the principles of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is a core strength, but also a challenge for the industry.
Ensuring the sector's social sustainability while continuing to grow is one of tourism’s greatest challenges.

“Too many tourism companies hide behind certification schemes and fake claims to be protecting the environment when what are really doing is cutting costs and making work ever more precarious,” said IUF General Secretary, Sue Longley. "This report confirms that they need to engage with trade unions, global and national, and together we can turn corporate claims into tangible improvements in the daily lives of travel and tourism workers."

Industry action plan

The report calls for seven key actions to help businesses, governments, investors and unions build a socially sustainable future:

Establishing multi-stakeholder initiatives with robust policy and legislative frameworks and compliance systems.
Increasing access to unions and reputable experts on labour and human rights.
Conducting double materiality assessments for labour and human rights.
Developing and implementing policies and processes with clear, measurable objectives for improving labour and human rights.
Selecting meaningful indicators that address key risks, involving employees in the process, and transparently collecting and analysing data.
Accounting for direct impacts as well as supply chain impacts.
Communicating results and progress towards set targets openly and honestly.

“We extend an open invitation to everyone – industry leaders, government officials, and stakeholders from across the sector – to join us in building a travel and tourism industry that’s sustainable in every sense of the word – environmentally, economically, and socially,” said Cotton.

"The future of tourism depends on our collective ability to put workers' and human rights at the heart of the industry's growth."

About the report

Commissioned by the Tourism Workers’ Alliance and expertly crafted by Dr Anke Winchenbach, with support from Professor Xavier Font, both of the University of Surrey (UK) and Graham Randles of Envesco Ltd. The report analyses and maps indicators from four different emerging ESG approaches: European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), UN Tourism’s Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism, Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria and World Benchmarking Alliance. It finds that the largest number of indicators address own workforce and value chain workers, with Exploitation and Harassment, Equal Opportunities and Decent Work being the most prominent themes.

About the Tourism Worker’s Alliance

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers Associations (IUF) have joined forces to create the Tourism Workers’ Alliance. The Alliance is a collaborative trade union initiative designed to align the efforts of the ITF and IUF to amplify the voices of over 270 million tourism and transport workers.

About ITF

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is a democratic, affiliate-led federation recognised as the world’s leading transport authority. We fight passionately to improve working lives; connecting trade unions from over 150 countries to secure rights, equality and justice for their members. We are the voice for nearly 16.5 million working women and men in the transport industry across the world.

About IUF

The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) has 407 affiliates in 126 countries. From the fields to factories to hotels, restaurants and fast food chains, the IUF organises, fights and wins for workers across the food chain.

Rosalyn Smith 26 Sep 2024

ITF Tourism Services Conference brings international unions to Antigua & Barbuda

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 21:39:38 +0000

ITF Tourism Services Conference brings international unions to Antigua & Barbuda

St John’s, Antigua — The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) ― the democratic, global union federation of 670 transport unions in 147 countries, representing over 18 million transport workers across the globe ― Tourism Services Conference began today in Antigua & Barbuda.

Hosted by the Antigua & Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU), the conference comes at a critical juncture for an industry that continues to feel the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ITF Tourism Section Chair and Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean, ABWU General Secretary Sen. David Massiah, said today that the conference presents a significant opportunity to highlight the global challenges and concerns for the tourism industry.

“The beach is just the beginning of tourism in Antigua & Barbuda. Tourism is not just the beach — tourism supports over 80% of our economy. It is our economy,” said Sen. Massiah. “And the wealth that tourism brings in must be shared with the workers who create it. Tourism must be a source for the development of our countries, our economies and our people. That’s why globally we are building a tourism strategy around people, power and planet to make the industry one that works for workers.”

Over the course of the conference, trade unions from around the world will discuss and debate strategies to address the challenges facing the industry. Leaders will highlight solutions for issues facing the industry — from precarious employment to the exploitation of vulnerable workers — in Antigua & Barbuda, the Caribbean region and globally, and develop strategies to win better working conditions and strengthen labour rights, ensuring that workers have a powerful voice in the future of this vital industry.

The Conference will feature representatives from the local tourism industry including Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Safety & Labour, Mrs. Joan Carrott, and the Executive Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Hotel and Tourism Association (ABHTA), Patrice Christian Simon.

“There’s a simple fact that tourism, and its workers, the tourism professionals driving the industry, are not being recognised for the work they do and the economic prosperity that they generate for their economies. We know that every tourism job creates another 1.5 jobs in the supply chain and the broader economy,” said Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the ITF.

“The tourism economy is fragmented, gender-segregated, full of insecure work where many of the jobs are informal and don’t enjoy the social protections — like pensions and sick pay — that they should. We fight every day as trade unionists to campaign, to bargain, and to collaborate with industry and governments to ensure that workers get their fair share. And critical to this is recognising that women and young workers are the dominant force in this industry and we need to ensure in our unions that they have the space to lead.”

“The ITF is forging a path forward to build an industry where the tourism services sector is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable, and an industry that puts people and the planet first,” said Cotton.

Anonymous (not verified) 17 Apr 2023

Investment in transport infrastructure and workers can transform Mexico into global transport hub

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:41:51 +0000

Investment in transport infrastructure and workers can transform Mexico into global transport hub

MEXICO CITY — The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has this week called on Mexico’s Obrador Government to join forces with transport unions to transform the country’s transport systems into world leading hubs.

Through a series of high-level meetings with Mexican officials and unions, including with the Minister of Transport and Foreign Secretary and presenting to the Mexican Senate’s Labour and Social Security Commission, ITF has called on policymakers and unions to work together to make Mexico’s transport systems a model for Latin America.

Mexico is poised to harvest enormous economic benefits from its position and potential as a world-leading global transport hub. The country promises to connect businesses to 1 billion consumers and 60% of the world’s GDP and with access to Atlantic and Pacific trade routes, ITF has urged policymakers to build on the country’s existing major transport hubs in aviation, maritime, road and rail.

Leading ITF’s delegation, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton told Mexican officials today that collaboration with unions is what will make the country’s transport systems fit for the future.

“Despite significant improvements made by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s government, chronic under investment is still holding back Mexico’s transport networks,” said Cotton. “It’s not enough to finance climate and economic advances, what we need is to see systematic improvements to the whole structure of transport. That must include workers’ expertise and unions supporting the creation of better jobs for workers through access to collective bargaining and other trade union support.”

‘’Mexico has a crucial position in the region, setting an example – economically, politically and morally – by putting workers’ rights at the top of the agenda. But significant investment is needed in both transport infrastructure and the labour market to reduce capacity constraints across all modes of transport,” said Cotton.

Unions outlined to ministers and policymakers a dynamic plan to trigger a step-change in Mexico’s transport strategy:

Develop strong unions in the transport and tourism sectors, through growth, knowledge and expertise. This cannot be achieved unless women and young workers are fully engaged.
Include worker voices in transport policy development, providing policy makers with global best practices, expertise and help in establishing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.
Building productive industrial relations with major employers in transport and tourism sectors across Mexico.
Developing strong transport union networks across Latin America to reflect the political opportunities in the region.

“A big part of the problem is a skills shortage caused by low pay and poor conditions which have become commonplace in the transport industry. We believe the government already recognises this and we put it to ministers that they can only find long-lasting solutions if they help us build better jobs and stronger union representation,” said Cotton. “It’s crucial that we work together with the government and employers to make transport jobs more attractive in order to solve current skills shortages and encourage women and younger generations to work in these vitally important jobs,” said Cotton.

Cotton added that building a transparent and independent labour movement in Mexico is as critical as the investment in infrastructure.

“Workers must be able to join the union of their choice, and that union must understand the challenges facing transport and provide the support needed to achieve decent levels of pay and good working conditions. We are committed to playing our role in making this transformation happen,” Cotton concluded.

The ITF will hold its Latin American Regional Conference in August this year in Cancun, Mexico. This will bring together leaders to discuss strategies on these vitally important issues, and offer union leaders across the region the opportunity to discuss common approaches, strategies and challenges for transport workers.

Anonymous (not verified) 31 Mar 2023

tourism

transport unions

Latin America

World Tourism Day a reminder for governments to double down on Covid recovery

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 17:27:39 +0000

World Tourism Day a reminder for governments to double down on Covid recovery

The Covid-19 pandemic has destroyed almost 20 percent of travel and tourism jobs worldwide, a sobering reminder on World Tourism Day this year, and a stark reminder for governments to double down their efforts for a swift recovery from the crisis.

For an industry that is responsible for about one in four new jobs worldwide, this is a distressing number. This is particularly the case for women, who make up 54 percent of the tourism sector and are disproportionately employed in the hardest hit sectors of the industry. Without a swift, coordinated response this crisis will only get worse.

The pandemic wiped out nearly 50 percent of the industry’s contribution to global GDP in 2020. Prior to the crisis, the industry generated about 10 percent of global GDP and over 300 million jobs worldwide. Over 60 million of these jobs were wiped out in 2020, and millions more are at risk as governments start to wind down income and job support schemes.

The recovery of the world’s tourism industry will rely on global leaders delivering a rapid response, including an aggressive global vaccine rollout, harmonised travel protocols and rigorous health and safety safeguards.

A global suppression of the virus will be key to the recovery of tourism. The IMF warns that the emergence of new major variants could wipe USD 4.5 trillion from global GDP by 2025. Further economic crisis, triggered by an inadequate response to the pandemic, will wreak more havoc on this already devastated industry.

"The impact of this pandemic is not only devastating for the workers in the industry but for the development of entire economies across the world,” said David Massiah, ITF Tourism section chair.

There is an urgent need for governments to work together to navigate a way out of this pandemic. The mechanisms for this already exist, the WHO, ILO and ICAO have all laid out the recovery roadmaps, governments now need to come together and actually implement them,” said Massiah.

Rebuilding confidence in travel will be key to the recovery of the industry in a post- pandemic world. This will depend massively on how tourism workers are equipped to facilitate the new realities of travel and tourism. Ensuring tourism workers have access to vaccines, robust health and safety standards and reskilling opportunities to navigate the digital transformation occurring across the industry, will be key to ensuring passengers are greeted by a confident and safe workforce, and industry.

“Too many people and too many economies rely on the tourism industry for us to turn our backs on it. Governments must work with each other to ensure people can start travelling again. And they must work with employers and trade unions to ensure that the tourism industry post- pandemic can confidently facilitate travel and tourism once more,” said Massiah.

Anonymous (not verified) 27 Sep 2021