5 years after Covid, tourists are more mindful, responsible, say industry leaders
Five years ago, daily life as most of us knew it came to a halt as the world entered the grip of a global pandemic.
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Travel, an industry worth US$10.3 trillion globally in 2019, accounting for 10.5 per cent of all jobs around the planet and 7 per cent of all trade, was brought to a standstill. Many feared it would take years to recover.
But that concern dissipated by May 2024, when, according to a report from the World Economic Forum: 'Tourism is back to pre-pandemic levels.' The report explained that the global tourism industry in 2024 was not only expected to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, but might even surpass the levels seen before the crisis.
A record US$1 out of every US$10 spent globally in 2024 was expected to be spent on travel as consumers rushed to book hotels, cruises and flights, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reported.
The travel industry is back to pre-pandemic levels according to a World Economic Forum. Photo: TNS
The WTTC also estimated that the industry's contribution to global GDP in 2024 would increase 12.1 per cent year-over-year to reach US$11.1 trillion, making up 10 per cent of global GDP. That figure represented a 7.5 per cent increase from the previous record set by the travel industry in 2019, before the pandemic emerged.
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Travel industry employment has recovered as well. The sector was expected to support nearly 348 million jobs in 2024, 13.6 million more jobs than 2019 industry employment highs.
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