Page 88 - BILANCIO DI SOSTENIBILITÀ 2019 RISULTATI E PROSPETTIVE

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RESTARTING

TOGETHER

2019 was a year of great expansion for international tourism; at the same time, there was During the first stage of the crisis, Costa worked to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 and the potential negative
a heightened sense of the importance of acting responsibly on the part of individuals and fallout while safeguarding jobs. Though cruises have come to a halt, we have been working ceaselessly, planning
groups alike: the larger flow of visitors and the increasing number of people joining the ranks the resumption of operations and exploring new ideas and opportunities for the future; in particular, we have
of meaningful travelers prompted the tourist industry as a whole to redouble its efforts to focused on even stricter health and safety protocols and policies both on our ships and shoreside. However,
embrace the opportunities associated with the growing trend toward sustainable tourism. first and foremost, we have renewed our commitment to innovation and sustainability, which will underpin all
In this sense, the cruise sector was at the forefront in terms of innovation, with substantial Costa’s future actions so as to support the recovery of the cruise industry and – above all – embark together
investments and major collaborations with communities, the aim being to pre-empt and satisfy on a path to recovery based on social inclusion, shared responsibility and protection of communities and the
future needs – this means: environmental sustainability with investment in new technology environment. At the same time, Costa has been working for years to raise the awareness of its employees and
and cleaner fuels; destination stewardship, through partnerships with local governments its guests, another factor that UNWTO and CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) both deem vital for
and communities; circular economy processes on board; and setting passengers’ sights on the future of tourism, facilitating the transition to more self-aware travelers who go deeper and further, think
immersion, community and action. critically about their behaviors and espouse travel as a learning opportunity.
At the time of writing, in a context of great international uncertainty caused by Covid-19,
tourism is one of the hardest hit economic sectors, with steep declines in both supply and
demand. This poses an additional risk for a global economy that has already been weakened
by geopolitical, social and commercial tensions, with uneven performances across the main
markets. Given the ongoing nature of the situation, it is too early to estimate the full impact of
the pandemic. However, what is clear is that prioritizing sustainability – something that Costa
has been doing for years as an industry pioneer – is considered by UNWTO to be more crucial
than ever in relation to achieving a responsible tourism recovery for people, the planet and
1
local communities. In fact, thanks to the intersections of tourism economics and society, the
tourist industry in general and cruising in particular are ideally placed to help communities
return to growth and stability. The Covid-19 crisis is having sweeping consequences on tourism
jobs, notably on small and medium enterprises, which account for around 80% of tourism
businesses globally. Many tourism employers are nevertheless taking the lead in supporting
their workers and helping the communities in which they operate, repurposing tourism as a
supporter for the community and a promoter of social inclusion.

When the scale of the Covid-19 emergency became readily apparent, the cruise sector was
among the first to react proactively and responsibly with industry-wide coordination; indeed,
cruises were suspended swiftly so as to guarantee health and safety. Costa acted in line with this
approach insofar as the health and safety of its guests, crew and members of the communities
in its ports of call has always been – and will always be – the Company’s top strategic priority.
We are fully aware of the economic and social value that we are called upon to generate for
the local communities and our key stakeholders: accordingly, we intend to do everything in
our power to play our part in the process of building back better tourism globally, as soon as
1 See the UNWTO position paper One Planet Vision
for the Responsible Recovery of the Tourism Sector conditions allow us to ensure the health and safety of our crew, guests and communities.