World Tourism Day on September 27th shines a spotlight on the benefits of tourism. Besides adding economic value to communities, tourism adds social, political, and cultural value. In essence, tourism helps all countries to build a better future.
Tourism is big business. In 2018, tourism contributed $8.8 trillion dollars to the global economy. Over recent years, travel and tourism have been the second-fasting growing sector in the world. The tourism industry also added 319 million jobs. Despite the amount of jobs tourism creates, there is still work to do. Industry experts believe there is potential for tourism to create even more jobs, especially for women, youth, and individuals in rural areas.
By the year 2030, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), an agency of the United Nations, hopes to implement policies that will further advance sustainable tourism. In turn, tourism will create jobs and promote local cultures and products.