The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), headquartered in Madrid, said in a recent statement that the Chinese government acted "swiftly and decisively" against the novel coronavirus outbreak and expressed its solidarity with the people and government of China and its tourism sector at these challenging times.

In the statement, the UNWTO commends China as a true global tourism leader in recent years and concludes that 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 statement points out the vital importance that the cooperation of the tourism sector will have in stopping the spread of the virus and limiting its impact on people and communities. It says that tourists also have a responsibility to inform themselves before they travel and should follow the recommendations of the WHO and their own national health authorities.

The statement says that the UNWTO is closely monitoring developments related to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and that it is too early to fully estimate the impacts this outbreak will have.