Minister Park Yang-woo Shares South Korea's COVID-19 Response Experience at G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting

Proposal for Ministerial-Level Discussion at OECD Tourism Forum in Seoul This November
Adoption of 'G20 Tourism Ministers' Declaration' on COVID-19 Response

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Yang-woo is speaking at the 'G20 Special Virtual Tourism Ministers Meeting' on the 24th at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Smart Work Center conference room in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Park Yang-woo, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, shared South Korea's experience in responding to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and proposed a tourism ministers' forum to restore the global tourism market at the G20 Special Tourism Ministers' Meeting held via video conference on the 24th.

On the day, Minister Park stated, "Korea was an early country with a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19, but without lockdowns or travel bans, we significantly slowed the spread of new infections," and introduced that "under the three principles of openness, transparency, and democracy, strategies such as persistent infection tracking, extensive testing, and rapid isolation and treatment were effective in preventing the spread of infectious diseases."

He also mentioned that the government has prepared and is implementing four rounds of emergency support measures including financial support, tax support, and employment support to revive the tourism industry, adding that they plan to actively share and cooperate with G20 countries based on the experiences and lessons learned during the COVID-19 crisis response. He pledged, "After overcoming COVID-19, we will promote domestic tourism revitalization and closely cooperate with countries around the world to further promote international tourism."

This G20 Special Video Tourism Ministers' Meeting was held as a follow-up measure in the tourism sector of the G20 Special Video Summit proposed by President Moon Jae-in. Representatives from major international tourism organizations, including tourism ministers from a total of 17 countries, the Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the President of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), attended along with Minister Park.

Participants exchanged views on each country's efforts to minimize the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the most effective crisis prevention, response, and recovery policies in the tourism sector, and adopted the "G20 Tourism Ministers' Declaration on COVID-19." Through this, they agreed to continue coordinating to minimize excessive interference with essential travel such as the return of healthcare workers and travelers, and to cooperate with health authorities to introduce and withdraw travel restrictions proportionate to the COVID-19 situation.

They also resolved to create a safe travel environment to rebuild consumer confidence in the tourism industry to support economic recovery. To prepare for the future tourism industry after overcoming COVID-19, they plan to support the development of digital technologies and the transition to sustainable economic, social, and environmental growth in the tourism industry.

Through this meeting, Minister Park proposed holding a ministerial-level discussion on COVID-19 response at the OECD Global Tourism Forum to be held in Seoul this November. He said, "I hope to share experiences between countries on COVID-19 prevention and discuss cooperation measures such as entry and exit procedures and international campaigns to help the international tourism market recover after overcoming COVID-19."

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