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The tourism sector accounts for more than 30 percent of total exports in many SIDS. As a result of the lockdowns and travel restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international tourism is plummeting. UNWTO estimates that international arrivals in SIDS globally dropped 47 percent from January to April, in the month of April arrivals dropped by 97 percent. This shock is having major direct and indirect impacts for livelihoods in SIDS, impacting on foreign exchange earnings, employment and wages and tax revenues furthermore many MSMEs rely heavily on revenue from tourism. As an important source of employment, the sharp decline in tourism in SIDS is increasing precarity, putting especially informal workers at risk many of whom are women.

This interactive discussion will focus on building forward tourism in SIDS better, greener and bluer. It will bring together key experts to discuss how SIDS can advance the environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability of their tourism sectors promoting the industry as a driver towards realizing ambitions of the SAMOA Pathway and the Decade of Action post COVID-19.