During her participation in the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, Senior Vice President Virginia Messina shared insightful reflections on the rapid recovery of the global tourism sector. In a meeting with the press, Messina expressed with confidence, "The recovery of tourism is much faster than we expected. It is growing at a very accelerated pace, and by the end of this year, we expect it to be just over one percent from 2019, the golden age of tourism. It is very interesting, I think it is impressive to see how, despite all the global challenges we are facing worldwide, our sector is returning very rapidly."

Referring to WTTC's presence in Kigali, Messina emphasized the importance of representing the global tourism sector in all regions of the world. "This is our first Global Summit in Africa. However, it is not the first time we have been in Africa. We have had other regional sessions in countries like South Africa, and we have had a presence in the region. We want to share the message that this region has significant potential for the growth of the tourism sector and for economic development."

"Tourism is very resilient, and the recovery in Latin America is much better than we expected. In particular, it is growing at a very accelerated pace, and by the end of this year, we expect it to be 1% above 2019, which is the benchmark of the golden age of tourism. It is very interesting and impressive to observe how, despite all the global challenges we face in the world, the tourism sector is returning very rapidly. We expect that by the end of this year, we will be above the levels of 2019, each market, of course, according to its particularities." "Adventure tourism has gained significant relevance. Nowadays, there is a much wider and more varied range of destinations compared to 5 or 10 years ago. People seek new experiences and long to immerse themselves in the authenticity of local products and experiences."

Regarding the visa issue, Messina emphasized the importance of facilitating the process for travelers. "The issue of visas remains a priority. We have conducted numerous studies on the impact of visa facilitation, and the implementation of electronic visas has proven to be an effective solution in some markets. However, their reintroduction could be an obstacle to tourism and affect visitor arrivals, as well as foreign exchange and the economy in general."

With these statements, Virginia Messina highlights the resilience of the tourism sector, its adaptability to current challenges, and the importance of strategically addressing key aspects to ensure its sustainable growth in the near future.