Information about the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) competition to combat the negative effects of the COVID-19 epidemic
The World Tourism Organisation in cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a competition to identify the most innovative startups and initiatives that could help to reduce the negative impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the tourism sector by providing support to travellers, businesses and authorities.
Three categories for which solutions are sought were identified:
- Health of citizens: security measures, disinfection methods, early detection (for use by tourists, workers in the tourism industry and corporations)
- Businesses: mobile applications for tourists, sharing economy, closed-loop economy, revenue management, demand restoration, to be implemented by the whole industry in the short and long term;
- Tourism destinations: crisis management, mobility, reshaping of tourist destinations, regaining trust in tourism
Candidates will go through a 2-stage recruitment process: selection of applications and evaluation of the Committee of Experts on their readiness for implementation and adaptation to other countries. The best proposals will then be placed in a digital brochure presenting the best solutions to the authorities. A presentation will be organised for all participants with the participation of UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili, during which selected startups will be connected to the UNWTO Innovation Network for more than 6500 contact points from companies, corporations, public institutions and educational institutions.
Proposals can be submitted via the form at the address: https://www.unwto.org/healing-solutions-tourism-challenge, until 15 of April 2020. The announcement of the best initiatives will take place on 20 of April 2020, while further actions will be taken from 25 of April 2020.
