Global Tourism Suffers Worst Year In 2020 With $1.3Mln In Losses Due To Pandemic - UNWTO

Sumaira FH Published January 28, 2021 | 08:36 PM

Global tourism suffered its worst year in 2020, losing $1.3 trillion due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures, the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said in a statement on Thursday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2021) Global tourism suffered its worst year in 2020, losing $1.3 trillion due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures, the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said in a statement on Thursday.

"The collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis," the statement said.

While the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is expected to slowly normalize travel in 2021, the agency said most experts do not see a return to pre-pandemic levels taking place before 2023.

"While much has been made in making safe international travel a possibility, we are aware that the crisis is far from over," UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said.

Extended scenarios indicate that it can take two-and-a-half to four years to return to 2019 levels, according to UNWTO.

Asia and the Pacific recorded the largest decrease in arrivals last year compared to 2019, 84 percent, followed by the middle East and Africa both with a 75 percent decline.

Europe suffered the largest drop in absolute terms with more than 500 million fewer international tourists.