The World Travel & Tourism Council says up to 50 million jobs in the travel sector are at risk due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest figures from WTTC, which represent the global Travel & Tourism private sector, show that global travel could be adversely impacted by up to 25% in 2020. This is the equivalent to a loss of three months of global travel. This could lead to a corresponding reduction in 12%-14% of the jobs.
Around 850,000 people travel each month from Europe to the United States, equivalent to a $3.4 billion monthly contribution to the U.S. economy, WTTC’s managing director Virginia Messina said.
Of the 50 million jobs that could be lost, around 30 million would be in Asia, seven million in Europe, five million in the Americas and the rest in other continents, she projected.
The tourism industry accounts for 10% of the world’s GDP and jobs.