Corona loses billions to global tourism industry

- A formal announcement by the UN Secretary General

- Corona hit the industry to death in five months

UNO 26th August 2020 Wednesday

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Corona had dealt a fatal blow to the global tourism industry. In just five months, the tourism industry lost 20 320 billion.

Speaking to media on Tuesday, he said in a video conference that 12 crore jobs associated with the tourism industry were on the verge of losing their jobs. He said the tourism industry was the backbone of the economy and ranked third in terms of exports after the chemical industry. In 2019, tourism accounted for seven percent of global trade and commerce.

He said that one out of every ten people in the world was involved in the tourism industry. He said that tourism not only provides pleasure, but also provides information about the culture and public life of countries around the world. Through travel, people get to know and understand each other.

Guterres said the Corona had led to a direct 50 per cent drop in the number of tourists in the first five months of this year. He said the industry contributed a lot to the total GDP of some countries. This contribution was more than fifty per cent.

He called on all countries to take steps to help workers in the tourism industry.