However, much remains to be done. Women are still concentrated in the lowest paid, most precarious and often informal jobs.

Moreover, UNWTO research revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had hit women harder than men. For example, in all the countries that participated in the study, women were more likely to lose their jobs than men, and more women had seen their working hours or pay reduced, as well as those who had taken on more caring responsibilities.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "UNWTO has worked with our partners to study and document the enormous contribution of women to tourism. It is time for tourism to give back to them. With the 'Close-Up' model, we can help the industry work for women, and we will not stop until the girls of tomorrow have the same opportunities as the men of today".

Unity between the public and private sectors

The pioneering 'Close-Up' project was launched in 2021 with the intention of addressing this imbalance and expanding tourism's place in the development and women's empowerment agenda.

Created by UNWTO, BMZ and UN Women, the project aims to create a people-centred model for tourism development that pays special attention to the needs of women. The project, which has enabled the public sector to collaborate with tourism businesses and civil society organisations, has directly trained 1,800 people, promoted 2,826 people, surveyed 27,000 people and reached more than 20 million people through a global awareness-raising campaign.