The occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a "drastic drop in the figures in the tourism sector, leading, day after day, to the total closure and unemployment of tourism businesses or the closure and partial unemployment, for the most vigorous", said this Sunday Kossivi Égbétonyo (Minister in charge of tourism) on the occasion of world tourism day.

World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on 27 September.

Under the theme "Tourism and Rural Development", this year's celebration comes at a time when the whole world is strongly shaken by Covid-19.

"Usually, it is in a sufficiently flamboyant way that this day has always been celebrated. This year, it is as symbolically as possible that it will be, the Covid-19 pandemic forcing it by the terror spread all over the planet, stressed the Minister of Tourism.

"Covid-19 is unfairly attacking. That is indisputable. The outbreak of the pandemic has led to a drastic drop in the figures in the tourism sector, leading, day after day, to the total closure and unemployment of tourism businesses or the closure and partial unemployment, for the most vigorous. It is thus obvious that he must be opposed to the pandemic, the most absolute resistance, "said Kossivi Égbétonyo.

"This is what UNWTO is encouraging us to do through the choice of this year's theme. The World Tourism Organization is instigating all humanity in the response to the pandemic, a response that States are organizing, each according to its faculties," he continued.

"Here, at home, proactively, the government, under the leadership of President Faure Gnassingbé had already taken the appropriate general and specific measures to mitigate the effects of the crisis on the life of companies and to support them in organizing the resumption of activities."

The Minister listed in a jumble the general measures taken by the government: (i) the remission of 100% late payment increases on the payment of arrears of social contributions to the national social security fund, (ii) the suspension of the application of late penalties for taxes that expire in the 2nd quarter of 2020 and the review of penalties for the benefit of companies that have undergone tax audits, (iii) the postponement of loan maturities for companies in the sector without interest charges, fees or late penalties, (iv) the suspension of social contributions, (v) the postponement of the deadlines for payment of the tax foncière  and (vi) the establishment of a cash transfer programme for vulnerable groups, the creation of a national solidarity and economic recovery fund of 400 billion CFA francs.

Reduction of VAT from 18 to 10% on turnover for companies in the hotel and tourism sector

Particularly with regard to tourism, there has been a reduction in VAT of 18 to 10% on turnover for companies in the hotel and tourism sector, recalled the minister.

In addition, following the measures taken at the top of the state, the department in charge of the sector, works tirelessly to support operators in the sector, he said.

Kossivi Égbétonyo took the opportunity to express to the President of the Togolese Republic, "the gratitude of the entire nation, for all the rapid measures that have been taken to face the health crisis related to Covid-19 since its appearance in Togo, which has plunged most sectors of activity, including the hotel sector, into great difficulties".

"I also owe a debt of gratitude to all the economic operators in the tourism sector in general, who taunting the violence of the storm have accommodated themselves and ensure that the measures taken by the government in response to the pandemic are respected and, especially, to hotels that have, with a keen sense of civility and patriotism, obediently complied with the requisitions of the government for the needs of the cause," he added.

It should be noted that data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization show that 100 to 120 million direct jobs in the tourism sector are at risk. The  United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts a loss of 1.5 to 2.8 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP).

In the first five months of this year, international tourist arrivals fell by more than half and export earnings from tourism of about $320 billion were lost.