Chronicle Editor
Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) says 2020 was the worst year in the global tourism sector, which recorded a 74 percent decline in international arrivals with an estimated US$1,3 trillion revenue loss.
The organisation attributed the slump in global tourism performance to unprecedented fall in demand and wide spread travel restrictions induced by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement, UNWTO said the loss in revenue by the global tourism industry was 11 times more than the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis.
“Global tourism suffered its worst year on record in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74 percent.
“Destinations worldwide welcomed one billion fewer international arrivals in 2020 than in the previous year, due to an unprecedented fall in demand and widespread travel restrictions.
“This compares with the four percent decline recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis,” said the organisation in its World Tourism Barometer.
It said the collapse in international tourism sector has put between 100 million and 200 million jobs at risk, many off them in the small and medium-sized enterprises.
According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the squeeze in international travel represents an estimated loss of US$1,3 trillion in export revenues — more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. — @okazunga
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