UNWTO praises China's response to novel coronavirus outbreak

"The Chinese authorities have acted swiftly and decisively" since the very beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said in a recent statement, expressing its solidarity with China.

The Madrid-based organization said that China has emerged as a true global tourism leader, both as a source market and as a leading destination in itself. "Tourism will offer a valuable lifeline as China recovers and rebuilds from this setback, just as the sector has proven its resilience many times before."

The cooperation of the tourism sector will be vital in stopping the spread of the virus and limiting its impact on people and communities, it said in the statement released Friday, adding that tourists also have a responsibility to inform themselves before they travel in order to limit the threat of transmission, and they should follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization and their own national health authorities.

While closely monitoring developments related to the outbreak, the UNWTO stressed that it is too early to fully estimate the impacts this outbreak will have.