…accelerating climate action in tourism is very important for the resilience of this sector.
Badung (ANTARA) - The second meeting of the G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) in Bali discussed issues related to the strengthening of communities and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as agents of tourism transformation and the creative economy.

The meeting is being held from September 23–26, 2022, by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy as part of the Indonesian G20 Presidency.

With these issues, economic recovery will be community-centered and is expected to have an impact on improving the community's economy.

"Together with G20 member countries, we must design a best practice to strengthen the creative tourism sector from the community and MSMEs to help them become agents of change in encouraging economic recovery and opening up wider employment opportunities," Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said in Bali on Friday.

G20 is an international forum comprising 19 nations and the European Union that work together to handle major issues. Indonesia is chairing the forum this year.

The Indonesian G20 Presidency has two meeting tracks, including the Sherpa Track, which discusses non-financial issues. The TWG meeting has been organized under the Sherpa Track.

The meeting will provide a space for the exchange of ideas and best practices carried out by G20 countries as well as guest countries and international institutions, Uno said.

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The activity is being attended, virtually and physically, by 71 participants from G20 member countries, namely India, Italy, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, and Turkey.

In addition, delegations from guest countries Singapore, Spain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Fiji as well as international organizations, including the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), International Labor Organization (ILO), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Asian Development Bank ( ADB), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), are also attending the meeting.

Upon their arrival, the delegations were welcomed by the chair of the G20 Tourism Working Group, Frans Teguh.

Teguh symbolically handed over mangrove seedlings to UNWTO representatives; the former head of delegations (HoD) of the G20, namely Italy; and the next HoD of the G20, namely India.

The mangrove seedlings will be planted by Traveloka as part of the company's support for sustainability issues.

"The mangrove seedlings are expected to increase awareness to protect the environment, especially in tourist destinations, and to realize sustainable tourism," Teguh said.

He added that the mangrove seedlings handover also signifies that the future of tourism must be more inclusive and sustainable.

According to him, the tourism sector is very vulnerable to climate change, and at the same time, it is contributing to greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.

"Therefore, accelerating climate action in tourism is very important for the resilience of this sector," he noted.

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Translator: Naufal Fikri Y, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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