Arrivals of international tourists fell 65% in the first half, globally, and decreased 93% in June, compared to the previous year, according to a barometer of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), released today.
“According to the new figures from the World Tourism Barometer of the United Nations specialized agency, the arrivals of international tourists dropped 65% in the first half of the year. It is an unprecedented collapse caused by the closure of borders around the world and the introduction of travel restrictions in response to the pandemic, ”reads a statement sent to the media by the WTO.
June data show a 93% drop compared to 2019, demonstrating “the great impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on the sector”, adds the organization.
In recent weeks, an increasing number of destinations have been reopened to international tourists, with the WTO noting that travel restrictions have eased in 53% of destinations.
Still, many countries remain cautious and this latest report shows that the blockages imposed during the first half of the year have had a “devastating” impact on international tourism.
The WTO reiterates that the sudden and drastic drop in international tourist arrivals has put millions of jobs at risk, as well as the survival of “countless” companies.
According to the organization, the drop in demand for international travel between January and June translates into a loss of 440 million international landings and about 386.83 billion euros in export earnings from tourism.
Losses in international tourism revenue due to the pandemic are five times greater than those recorded during the 2009 global economic and financial crisis, points out the WTO.
The institution believes that it is possible to make safe international travel in various parts of the world and says it is “imperative” that governments work closely with the private sector to recover tourism.
“The latest World Tourism Barometer shows the profound impact that this pandemic is having on tourism, a sector on which millions of people depend for a living,” said in the same note, WTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
According to the barometer, Europe was the second most affected region in the world, with a 66% drop in the number of tourist arrivals in the first half of 2020, after the Asia and Pacific region, the first to feel the impact covid-19, with a drop of 72%.
The regions of the Americas and Africa and the Middle East also suffered strong consequences in the tourist activity, with decreases of 55% and 57%, respectively, in the arrivals of international tourists, in the first semester of this year.
As for the future, the WTO thinks that travel demand and consumer confidence are likely to remain low, affecting results for the rest of the year.
The covid-19 pandemic has already claimed at least 929,391 deaths and more than 29.3 million cases of infection in 196 countries and territories, according to a report made by the French agency AFP.
Measures to combat the pandemic have paralyzed entire sectors of the world economy and have led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to make unprecedented predictions in its nearly 75 years: the world economy may fall 4.9% in 2020, dragged by a contraction of 8 % in the United States, 10.2% in the euro area and 5.8% in Japan.
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