New Figures from WTTC Reveal 174 Million People Could Lose Jobs

New figures from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveal that despite a slight improvement since June, a staggering 174 million jobs could be lost in 2020 if barriers to global travel remain in place.

The new figure comes from WTTC’s latest economic data, which looks at the punishing impact of COVID19, as well as local and global travel restrictions on the travel and tourism sector.

If the current restrictions to international travel continue through to the end of 2020 – resulting in a limited recovery – the impact will be devastating, with as many as 174 million jobs lost globally.

Down from the 197m jobs as detailed in WTTC's previous study in June, the positive gain is in most part driven by the return of domestic travel in countries such as China, which has shown a particularly strong recovery. It has also implemented a comprehensive testing and contact tracing programme, alongside health and hygiene protocols, further contributing to this significant increase.

However, the analysis shows that should current travel restrictions be removed sooner, globally, a staggering 31m jobs could be saved by the end of 2020.

This equates to more than half a million jobs saved every day between now and the end of 2020, which is the equivalent to almost the entire population of the U.S city of Atlanta or the Portuguese city of Lisbon.

Prolonged travel restrictions could also eliminate $4.7 trillion in the sector’s contribution to global GDP, equating to a loss of 53% compared to 2019.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said, “Our latest data reveals the gravity of the long-term negative impact facing the global Travel & Tourism sector, if we don’t work together to resume international travel immediately. As travel restrictions around the world remained in place over the summer months, our estimates report an increase from 121m, to 143m jobs lost. In the space of just four months, our study has shown a further 22m jobs under threat worldwide. This is devastating news, and we need international coordinated action now. The sector’s recovery will be delayed even further, with more jobs lost, unless quarantines are replaced with rapid, cost-effective testing at airports on departure, and air corridors. The longer we wait, the more the ailing Travel & Tourism sector faces total collapse.”

According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, travel and tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million in total), making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.

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