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International Tourism and Road Safety. Dr. Dirk Glaesser Chief, Risk and Crisis Management World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The role of mobility Mobility is by definition component of tourism Mobility is equally important for domestic and international tourism
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International Tourism and Road Safety Dr. Dirk Glaesser Chief, Risk and Crisis Management World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
The role of mobility • Mobility is by definition component of tourism • Mobility is equally important for domestic and international tourism • International tourism arrivals are dominated by arrivals by air, but then usually followed by transportation on roads
The importance of tourism • Tourism is globally one of the most important economic activities, sometimes the absolutely dominating economic activity • Used as a priority tool for economic development in many less and least developed countries • Highly sensitive activity and heavily depending on perceptions
shark = high • Fear of every beach holiday • 71 shark attacks in 2007 • 5-10 deaths a year • coconut = low • symbol of holidays • about 150 deathsa year caused by falling coconuts
The subjective risk perception is a very important element of the tourism decision process • Especially as the tourism product is • predominantly immaterial, as other service products • produced in the future • distance between place of purchase and where service is provided and consequently a trust or belief product
Vulnerability of tourists • Tourists are vulnerable as they • are unfamiliar with the (emergency) infrastructure and systems • Unfamiliar with many risks of the place and society • and often not familiar with the languages of the destination • But they are looking for ‘the other thing’ • And do what they are usually are not doing
Road safety • We share the concerns of WHO and FIA and agree fully that road safety is a major global public health issue • Which is increasing in its importance and the number of deaths • It needs to be addressed to protect the same users of roads better • And the ensure that the ‘signaling-effects’, especially in tourism are avoided
Dependencies • Tourism takes only place in an intact environment • Whether this is the natural, cultural, social or human or animal health environment • Dysfunctions involving tourists and travelers are likely to make this environment perceived faster as not intact
Tourism as a driver of development • Tourism is a not only a ‘classical tool’ of development in less and least developed countries • It also can serve to improve overall standards and thus generate positive effects for the resident population
…Tourism as a driver of development • 68% of countries surveyed have a National Emergency Plan • 52% of those with NEP have tourism covered specifically • Improvements are so far driven by incidents • The data indicates that especially those events with high losses in bookings and reservations caused that tourism was addressed specifically • Helping to move from reaction to prevention
How to address the issue best • Guiding efforts: Indentify best practice and develop guidelines • Assist efforts especially where most needed, i.e. outside the ‘classical silo’ • Making efforts transparent: Benchmarking and promoting safe routes and destinations with safe roads • Assisting drivers intelligently through GPS based guidance and digital maps • Letting the work reach those who can make a difference, i.e. intelligent awareness campaigns
Conclusions • This is an important risk for the tourism and travel sector • It can and has to be addressed • For the benefit of the local population, travelers and tourists but also for the sustainable development of a country • UNWTO is prepared to work together with FIA on this important risk
Thank you! Dr. Dirk Glaesser Chief, Risk and Crisis Management World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) ................................................................... Tel: + 34 91 5678 118 Fax: + 34 91 5713 733 email: glaesser@unwto.org www.unwto.org www.SOS.travel