The health crisis has caused the demand for travel to fall to levels of several decades ago. Specialists agree that the desire to travel in a safe and sustainable environment is as important as having a vaccine
Tourism has been one of the sectors most affected by COVID-19 and no country has been able to avoid the effects, with travel restrictions and a sudden drop in demand, our industry is experiencing its worst year in history. So much so that José Ricardo Botelho, Director and CEO of the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA), explained that the pandemic represented a significant decrease in passenger transportation throughout the region.
He explained that only in the months of April and May, the reduction in air operations was of the order of 95 percent, with great losses for the industry. He said that the recovery of the airline sector could take, on average, between five and six years, in such a way that until 2025 levels similar to those reported during 2019 will be seen in the region.
Therefore, Botelho spoke out for the elimination of travel barriers between countries, without neglecting the measures to control the pandemic in order to build confidence in travelers. In the same way, I highlight the fundamental work that has been carried out with the public and private sectors to achieve coordinated and harmonized protocols throughout the tourism chain.
In 2019, the travel and tourism sector generated 16.9 million jobs, that is, 7.9 percent of the total workforce in Latin America. It also contributed 298.9 trillion dollars of GDP, which represented 8.1 percent for the economy in the region, a growth of 1.6 percent compared to 2018.
Meanwhile, in the Caribbean region, the activity generated 2.8 million jobs, that is, 15.2 percent of the labor force. In addition, it contributed 58.9 trillion dollars of GDP, which represents 13.9 percent for the region's economy, which translated into an increase of 1.9 percent compared to the previous year.
The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has also been extremely concerned about the tourism situation. The official warned yesterday that up to 100 million direct tourism jobs are at risk, and the massive drop in tourism export earnings could reduce world GDP by as much as 2.8%. The writing emphasizes that tourism is an essential pillar of the SDGs and that workers and the most vulnerable nations are most at risk.
Guterres stated: "It is imperative that we rebuild the tourism sector in a safe, equitable and climate-friendly manner to ensure that tourism regains its position as a provider of decent jobs, stable incomes and the protection of our culture and natural heritage. ”.
The official also stressed that "tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in the world, providing livelihoods for hundreds of millions more, while boosting economies and allowing countries to prosper."
Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of the WTTC, has also consistently urged the governments of the world to consider local blockades rather than closing the borders of an entire nation. "Painting an entire country with the same brush does not benefit anyone at this time," she said yesterday.
She stressed the importance of the approval of internationally recognized health and hygiene measures, which allow the traveler to regain the confidence of returning to consume a product or hire a service.
She explained that the pandemic puts 6.1 million million jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean at risk of disappearance, for which the WTTC proposes four actions for the recovery of tourism: the opening of borders and the elimination of barriers; conducting tests to control the pandemic; the adoption of hygiene and sanitation protocols, and finally, government support to workers in the sector and companies.
Getting back to 2019 level depends on everyone
Last year, the travel and tourism sector generated 16.9 million jobs, that is, 7.9 percent of the total workforce in Latin America. It also contributed 298.9 trillion dollars of GDP, which represented 8.1 percent for the economy in the region, a growth of 1.6 percent compared to 2018.
Meanwhile, in the Caribbean region, the activity generated 2.8 million jobs, that is, 15.2 percent of the labor force. In addition, it contributed 58.9 trillion dollars of GDP, which represents 13.9 percent for the region's economy, which translated into an increase of 1.9 percent compared to the previous year.
Going back to those levels would take up to 5 years according to various studies, but those times could accelerate if governments, businessmen and especially travelers decide that we must save an industry like this.
