Tourism has been one of the activities most affected by the pandemic. Since then, industry statistics have shown progressive levels of recovery, but this year alone could mark a record in terms of contribution to global GDP. generating one in ten dollars in the world economy.
In a virtual press conference in several countries, the World Tourism Council (WTTC) presented its Economic Impact Research (EIR) prepared in collaboration with consultancy firm Oxford Economics.
According to these data, The sector’s contribution to global GDP is expected to reach $11.1 trillion exceeding pre-pandemic levels. This situation will occur despite the fact that two large markets such as the United States and China lag behind in terms of visitor spending.
While not all countries will be able to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to the organization, 142 countries Of the 185 analyzed, they will reach the goal.
As for the ability to create jobs, according to the WTTC annual study, the global tourism sector is currently responsible for it 348 million jobs. This represents an increase of more than 13.6 million jobs compared to the 2019 peak.
Moreover, International visitor spending is expected to reach 2019 levels of $1.89 trillion. while national tourism spending is expected to reach an all-time high of $5.4 billion.
A look ahead to 2023
Last year, despite geopolitical shocks such as the Russian-Ukrainian war, the sector managed to represent the 9.1% of world GDPwith just over 9.9 billion dollars 4% below the 2019 all-time high. Meanwhile, the sector also increased employment and international spending by 33.1%.
This growth occurred despite this two of the largest tourism markets in the world – United States and China – They still haven’t managed to attract the visitor arrivals they had four years ago.
Last year in the United States, international visitor spending remained more than a quarter below its 2019 peak, while visitor spending China remained below nearly 60%.
After presenting this data, Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the WTTC, explained: “It’s not just about breaking records, we’re no longer talking about recovery: it’s about a history of the sector that returns to its best moment after some difficult years, providing a significant economic boost to countries around the world and supporting millions of jobs,” he stressed.
Overall, the directive makes clear that “there is a risk, however: We need the governments of the United States and China to support their respective domestic travel and tourism sectors. “These countries will suffer, while others will see the return of international visitors much faster,” she noted.
The impact in Argentina
Towards the end of 2023, Argentina was doing well and was 3% below pre-pandemic levels, according to the organization’s data. For this year, although there are no forecasts on the development of the activity, the situation appears a little more complex.
Essentially because after the devaluation and inflation of the dollar, the country is not that cheap for foreigners, as until a few months ago. At least this will be a deterrent for visitors from neighboring countries who, in addition to appreciating the landscapes, also tend to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate to shop in local businesses.
According to provisional data from that portfolio, between January 1 and March 21 of this year, more than 3.3 million tourists passed through the border posts. Of these, 2,060,556 were tourists who spent at least one night in Argentina. And others, 1,316,775 were hikers who did not spend the night in the countryside. Compared to the same period last year, the volume of visitor travel increased a change of 6.4%.
According to official data, the expected spending of tourists who have spent at least one night in Argentina amounts to 1,565 million dollars. And, compared to the same period last year, estimated total visitor spending increased by 15.2%.
Source: Clarin
