A slow road to recovery
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
Many countries, including Namibia, are evaluating ways to allow a gradual recovery of the tourism sector.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, has carried out an analysis which shows even relatively minor increases in travelling would bring significant economic and job benefits. It says tourism will be the key sector in driving the recovery of the global economy after the coronavirus pandemic by generating new jobs and driving visitors back to destinations. “Importantly, the sector will also have a positive economic domino effect on suppliers across the entire supply chain,” it says.
WTTC president and CEO Gloria Guevara says they know restarting the travel and tourism sector is a huge challenge, but the economy can be restarted while also prioritising and protecting the health of travellers and those who work in the sector.
Major contributor
According to its 2020 Economic Impact Report, travel and tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million) last year, making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.
Research by WTTC shows that tourism and travel contributed 14.7% to the total economy in Namibia last year and an amount of about N$28.6 million to the GDP.
Last year, 114 600 people were employed in the tourism and travel sector, which amounts to 15.4% of the total employment in Namibia. Furthermore, the international visitor impact on the country amounted to N$6.14 million in visitor spending last year. Of this, 81% was leisure spending and the rest business spending.
Namibia is currently working on a tourism revival initiative set to take place between 15 July and 15 August 2020.
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has severely hit global and domestic tourism as an international travel ban basically put a 100% halt on any activity in the sector.
However, from Italy to Germany countries around the world are slowly relaxing their lockdowns.
Most recently, a survey from Global Rescue revealed that 91% of travellers are willing to subject themselves to screening and testing, 93% are willing to share their past 14-day travel history, and 73% are willing to disclose medical conditions related to a compromised immune system.
WINDHOEK
Many countries, including Namibia, are evaluating ways to allow a gradual recovery of the tourism sector.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, has carried out an analysis which shows even relatively minor increases in travelling would bring significant economic and job benefits. It says tourism will be the key sector in driving the recovery of the global economy after the coronavirus pandemic by generating new jobs and driving visitors back to destinations. “Importantly, the sector will also have a positive economic domino effect on suppliers across the entire supply chain,” it says.
WTTC president and CEO Gloria Guevara says they know restarting the travel and tourism sector is a huge challenge, but the economy can be restarted while also prioritising and protecting the health of travellers and those who work in the sector.
Major contributor
According to its 2020 Economic Impact Report, travel and tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million) last year, making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.
Research by WTTC shows that tourism and travel contributed 14.7% to the total economy in Namibia last year and an amount of about N$28.6 million to the GDP.
Last year, 114 600 people were employed in the tourism and travel sector, which amounts to 15.4% of the total employment in Namibia. Furthermore, the international visitor impact on the country amounted to N$6.14 million in visitor spending last year. Of this, 81% was leisure spending and the rest business spending.
Namibia is currently working on a tourism revival initiative set to take place between 15 July and 15 August 2020.
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has severely hit global and domestic tourism as an international travel ban basically put a 100% halt on any activity in the sector.
However, from Italy to Germany countries around the world are slowly relaxing their lockdowns.
Most recently, a survey from Global Rescue revealed that 91% of travellers are willing to subject themselves to screening and testing, 93% are willing to share their past 14-day travel history, and 73% are willing to disclose medical conditions related to a compromised immune system.
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