Supporting Resilience in Accommodation Services

In order to access the video, you must create an account on Daringcities.org or log-in.

Tourism represents an important industry in many parts of the world and is reported to contribute to the global GDP in the order of approximately 10%. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global tourism like no other event in the past and many actors in the field of tourism struggle with the survival of their businesses. While the focus currently lies on “survival” and acute crisis management, long-term adjustments to crises and disasters seem necessary. Climate change and the increasing frequencies with which extreme events occur pose a major risk for tourism in the future. But how can resilient tourism be achieved?

In this panel discussion, international experts from sustainable development, the hospitality sector and disaster risk reduction present concepts on resilient tourism and their implementation. Therein, challenges arising from Covid-19 are addressed but the focus extends to climate risks and resilience to other extreme events as well.

Mareike Bentfeld (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH – GIZ) puts forward which role the tourism sector plays for sustainable development. Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand (International University of Applied Science Bad-Honnef – IUBH) presents concepts for sustainability prevalent in the tourism industry and connects these with aspects of vulnerability and resilience. As a third speaker, Paul Pruangkarn (Pacific Asia Travel Association – PATA) elaborates on current challenges in the Asia-Pacific region with respect to resilience and how PATA supports resilience building. Dr. Bijan Khazai (Hotel Resilient Certifications UG) put forwards a holistic framework of resilience indicators specifically developed to quantify resilience and guiding initiatives to increase the ability to withstand extreme events. Majed Ishaq (Palestine Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities) provides an overview on how Hotel Resilient standards for Covid-19 have been implemented in Palestine. The implementation of safety and hygiene protocols in Ecuador is highlighted by Mirjam Moine (Import Promotion Desk – IPD). The panel discussion is moderated by Dr. Benni Thiebes from the German Committee for Disaster Reduction (DKKV).

Moderator