Stewart, a former secretary of state for international development, told Abta’s Travel Convention in Marrakech he was “very optimistic” for the future of the industry as it makes its post-pandemic recovery.
“The world is brutal to very poor countries... but it’s no accident that the biggest driver of the economies of poorer countries is tourism,” said Stewart, who served as a Conservative MP from 2010 to 2019.
“What these countries have is unspoilt nature, traditions that others don’t. This positions them very well to be at the forefront of a new type of travel – high-end luxury travel, adventure travel, environmentally-friendly travel is something that creates jobs.”
