COVID- 19 Impact On Tourism: Global Economy Could Lose Over $ 4 Trillion

Eare mounting in developing countries due to the absence of widespread COVID- 19 vaccinations. According to UNCTAD report published on 30 June, the crash in international tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic could cause a loss of more than $ 4 trillion to the global GDP for the years 2020 and 2021.

The estimated loss has been caused by the pandemic’s direct impact on tourism and its ripple effect on other sectors closely linked to it.

The report, jointly presented with the UN World Tourism Organisation ( UNWTO), says international tourism and its closely linked sectors suffered an estimated loss of $ 2.4 trillion in 2020 due to direct and indirect impacts of a steep drop in international tourist arrivals.

A similar loss may occur this year, the report warns, noting that the tourism sector’s recovery will largely depend on the uptake of COVID- 19 vaccines globally.

“The world needs a global vaccination effort that will protect workers, mitigate adverse social effects and make strategic decisions regarding tourism, taking potential structural changes into account,” UNCTAD Acting Secretary- General Isabelle Durant said.

UNWTO Secretary- General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Tourism is a lifeline for millions, and advancing vaccination to protect communities and support tourism’s safe restart is critical to the recovery of jobs and generation of much- needed resources, especially in developing countries, many of which are highly dependent on international tourism.”

With COVID- 19 vaccinations being more pronounced in some countries than others, the report says, tourism losses are reduced in most developed countries but worsened in developing countries. COVID- 19 vaccination rates are uneven across countries, ranging from below 1 per cent of the population in some countries to above 60 per cent in others.