Strengthening Multisector Technical Capacity to Respond to COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific through Tourism

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ADB will provide multisectoral solutions balancing public health interventions safeguarding people with restart of the tourism-related sectors. Mitigating health risks is a key step to restarting tourism and the economy. Based on DMCs' needs and requests, ADB identified three priority areas to address: (i) on the supply side, Multisectoral plans (covering health, transport, urban, tourism, economic research, and other relevant sectors) will be developed to reopen DMCs to tourists and create safer journeys for travelers. The TA will generate and provide travel and tourism sectors and regulatory authorities with knowledge of international good or best practices. It will help them make informed reforms and adjustment in policies, handling procedures, infrastructure configuration, communication with customers, and to improve the coordination and cooperation with counterparts across borders which are needed to tackle the issues in a comprehensive way; while (ii) on the 'demand side,' risk communications and engagement with travelers will be enhanced. The TA will assist the DMCs to equip travelers with proper travel advice and information in need, through establishing transparent systems to engage travelers and presenting risk assessments findings and providing clear messaging for pandemic response; and (iii) capacity strengthened to develop resilient and sustainable travel and tourism sectors, such as the use of high-level digital technology, training of travel, hospitality-related workforces, strengthening testing and contact tracing and fostering institutional reforms through lessons-sharing and peer learning.