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World tourism leaders call for more open access to vaccines to facilitate tourism recover

The Xinhua reported that leaders in the world tourist industry on Tuesday called for more open access to COVID-19 vaccines to facilitate the recovery of the global travel industry in the wake of the pandemic.
Speaking at the Future of Tourism World Summit, which is being held in Barcelona on Oct. 26-27, Rebeca Grynspan, the secretary general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) commented that the sector will not recover "until we can vaccinate all developing countries."
She highlighted that only around 3 percent of the population of less developed nations have been fully vaccinated, compared with over 70 percent in the developed world.
She said: "This lack of vaccines and this inequality is part of the tourism problem, so we have to facilitate access to vaccines."

Representatives also stressed the need for health protocols to be standardized in order to facilitate international travel, with United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary General, Zurab Pololikashvili, pointing out that "people don't know how to get from Geneva to here or to another EU country, it's a headache. We don't know how to move."
Read more: African Union urges EU to accept African COVID-19 vaccine certificates
The pandemic exerted a crippling effect on the tourism industry, with international travelers down by some 900 million, or more than 70 percent, from the previous year, but Pololikashvili was optimistic that 2022 would see a recovery.
He said: "It will be completely different and normal ... After 18 months we will return to normal and we will continue traveling."
Read more: British retailers warn of pre-Christmas price rises
Both the secretary generals agreed on the need for investment in the sector, with Grynspan highlighting that "there is a lot of money," but that private sector investment "needs to be channeled by government."
The summit brings together the tourism ministers from over a dozen nations, along with international organization leaders and more than 130 representatives, who are participating in over 25 round table debates and discussions over the two days.
Source: xinhua
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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