Tourism has become one of the most dynamic sectors of activity. It is a real vector of job creation and local development. But the Covid-19 pandemic has radically changed the situation. In order to reduce the risks of contamination of coronas virus, many tourist destinations have been closed. This has had serious consequences for tourism businesses and workers.
Discover in this article the impact of the health crisis on international tourism.
Disadvantages of Covid-19 on international tourism
The Covid-19 crisis has caused many losses to international tourism. These effects are devastating. Tourism has been really affected by the measures taken to reduce the Covid-19 contamination. And a return to normalcy in this sector will not be in the short term.
According to ILO estimates, the pandemic could cause 305 million job losses, many of them in the tourism sector. This crisis could lead to a drop of between 45 and 70 percent in revenues from international tourism.
In addition, hotels, restaurants, airlines, tour operators and cruise ships have suspended their activities for an unknown period. All tourism sectors including civil aviation, handicrafts, agriculture, food and beverage supply have been truly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. 10 million jobs have been suspended in the civil aviation sector, following the cancellation of flights and the closure of airports.
In addition, according to the UNWTO, the containment imposed by covid-19 has caused the number of international tourists to drop by 98% in May 2020. There has also been a 56% year-on-year drop in tourist arrivals during January to May. This leads to a drop of 300 million tourists and 320 billion dollars of losses in terms of international tourism revenue. Heavy losses that far exceed those caused by the economic crisis of 2009.
International tourism has been hit hard by the coronavirus crisis. It will take time for tourism to return to its normal place.