Collapse of tourism industry because of Covid-19, has caused US$ 2 trillion loss to the global GDP

Tuesday, December 29th 2020 - 09:38 UTC

Full article 20 comments

UNWTO has provided governments and businesses with trusted data showing the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism.

International arrivals fell by 72% over the first ten months of 2020, with restrictions on travel, low consumer confidence and a global struggle to contain the COVID-19 virus, all contributing to the worst year on record in the history of tourism.

According to the latest tourism data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), destinations welcomed 900 million fewer international tourists between January and October when compared with the same period of 2019. This translates into a loss of US$ 935 billion in export revenues from international tourism, more than 10 times the loss in 2009 under the impact of the global economic crisis.

Since the start of this crisis, UNWTO has provided governments and businesses with trusted data showing the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Since the start of this crisis, UNWTO has provided governments and businesses with trusted data showing the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism. Even as the news of a vaccine boosts traveler confidence, there is still a long road to recovery. We thus need to step up our efforts to safely open borders while supporting tourism jobs and businesses. It is ever clearer that tourism is one of the most affected sectors by this unprecedented crisis.”

Based on the current evidence, UNWTO expects international arrivals to decline by 70% to 75% for the whole of 2020. In this case, global tourism will have returned to levels of 30 years ago, with 1 billion fewer arrivals and a loss of some US$ 1.1 trillion in international tourism receipts. This massive drop in tourism due to the pandemic could result in an economic loss of US$ 2 trillion in world GDP.

Asia and the Pacific, the first region to suffer the impact of the pandemic and the one with the highest level of travel restrictions to date, saw an 82% decrease in arrivals in the first ten months of 2020. The Middle East recorded a 73% decline, while Africa saw a 69% drop. International arrivals in both Europe and the Americas declined by 68%.

Europe recorded smaller decreases of 72% and 76% in September and October compared to other world regions, following the slight though short-lived recovery in the summer peak months of July and August. The resurgence of the virus across the region has led to the reintroduction of some forms of travel restrictions. However, Europe is the region in which more destinations (91% as of 1 November 2020) have eased such restrictions, mainly among Schengen Member States.

The Americas has seen a gradual improvement since June with comparatively lower decreases in international arrivals through October. This reflects the reopening of many destinations in the region, including small island developing states in the Caribbean.

Categories: Health & Science, Tourism, International.

Tags: COVID-19, global economic crisis, Tourism industry, UNWTO.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

Chicureo
The CDC (USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevencion) quietly updated their guidelines to say that masks don't work if you've come into close contact with someone for 15 minutes or more, according to the CDC website.

The media is almost completely ignoring this fact.

According to the CDC, anyone who has symptoms or tests positive is a risk to others even if masks are worn.https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html

Exposure to

* Person with COVID-19 who has symptoms (in the period from 2 days before symptom onset until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation; can be laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness)
* Person who has tested positive for COVID-19 (laboratory confirmed) but has not had any symptoms (in the 2 days before the date of specimen collection until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation).

Note: This is irrespective of whether the person with COVID-19 or the contact was wearing a mask or whether the contact was wearing respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE).

I have previously highlighted the current quandary about Sweden refusing to lock its country down — by allowing its citizens to live freely. Businesses, schools and restaurants have been allowed to remain open — and masks are rarely used. Current WHO statistics show Sweden's mortality rate to BELOW the European average.

When this parallax result is mentioned — the obvious irony is completely ignored.

Something similar can be seen today in Florida, where the governor there has allowed his state to completely reopen — while we see a complete stark opposite COVID enforcement approach, especially in New York City where its famed attractions and restaurants have been closed with BILLIONS of dollars in lost revenues.

This COVID19 has supposedly has become now more dangerous and requires us to yield our basic freedoms and embrace more enforced government control — while TRILLIONS of dollars are lost.
Dec 29th, 2020 - 12:56 pm 0
Skip
Masks work!
Lockdowns work!

Sweden's model didn't work. Norway's did.

Florida isn't working.
1.3 million cases and 21,400 dead.

If both these examples actually used more masks, locked down harder and restricted movements, their economies could be almost back to normal now.

Florida had nearly 70,000 and Sweden had over 32,000 cases in the past week

If that is a measure of success, then it is a pretty fucked measure.
Dec 30th, 2020 - 11:13 am 0
Think
Geeeeeeeeee....
As they say in Germany...:
Even a blind Kangaroo does sometimes find a Wombat berry... ;-)
Dec 30th, 2020 - 12:13 pm 0

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