A recent report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) says that the travel and tourism industry now accounts for 10 percent of the world’s jobs, and continues to outpace the global economy in growth. The survey, which was conducted in conjunction with Oxford Economics, researched the economic impact of travel and tourism for 25 regions and 185 countries.
According to the research, 2016 saw an increase of 3.3 percent in travel and tourism, bringing in a total of $7.6 trillion and registering as 10.2 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. By 2027, travel and tourism are expected to account for 11 percent of global GDP and employ 380 million people. Over the next decade, 25 percent of new jobs will be supported by this sector.
“The continuous growth of our sector underlines the significance of business and leisure travel in driving economic development and job creation throughout the world,” said WTTC CEO David Scowsill.
Southeast Asia saw the greatest growth, 8.3 percent, while Latin America saw the lowest, only 0.2 percent. While some parts of Latin America saw higher than average growth, Brazil’s poor showing dragged the whole continent down.
“The future prospects for travel and tourism are good, but the sector continues to face challenges,” Scowsill said. “The impact of terrorism and the rise of populism pose a severe risk to the ability of people to travel efficiently and securely.”
Overall, however, the next decade is expected to see an average growth of 3.9 percent per year.
Of course, with that growth comes responsibility. Yes, the tourism industry is adding jobs to the economy, but are they sustainable jobs? Do they provide living wages to the people employed to do them? What about environmental and cultural impacts? Are the place and spaces being visited being preserved? Is tourism happening, and being promoted, in ways that serve local communities or degrade them? How is tourism contributing to global climate change?
“The sector itself needs urgently to address the impact of growth on destinations and its own contributions to climate change if it is to be sustainable in the long term,” said Scowsill.
These are questions faced by every industry, and as the tourism industry continues to grow, they are questions that have to be answered.