The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a sobering report highlighting the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel and tourism workforce. While the sector has witnessed a rebound in economic activity, the report, titled ‘Social Trends in Travel & Tourism Employment: The Impacts of COVID-19’, reveals a concerning disparity in the recovery process, particularly for women and young workers.
During the peak of the pandemic, nearly 70 million individuals globally lost their jobs in the travel and tourism sector. This loss disproportionately impacted women and young workers, who were concentrated in the hardest-hit areas like hospitality and food services. Even as the sector recovers, the number of women and young people employed in these roles remains below pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, approximately 42 million women and just over 16 million young people held travel and tourism jobs, a significant decrease from the 48.4 million women and 19 million young workers in 2019.
Addressing this disparity requires targeted solutions. WTTC CEO Julia Simpson emphasized the necessity of investing in skills development, promoting inclusive policies, and fostering entrepreneurship to facilitate the reintegration of women and young people into the workforce.
The WTTC’s Economic Impact Reports (EIR) show a positive trend, with the GDP contribution from travel and tourism increasing by 29.1 percent above pre-pandemic levels in 2023. However, the report cautions that the ‘social recovery’ lags behind the economic recovery, particularly for women and young individuals who remain more likely to occupy informal, part-time, or low-wage positions without security or opportunities for advancement. Young workers, who comprise a larger share of the industry than the broader economy, face even greater challenges in securing stable employment.
To support the sector’s full recovery, the WTTC urges governments and industry leaders to focus on:
*
Investing in skills development and training programs
tailored to the evolving needs of the travel and tourism industry.*
Promoting inclusive policies
that address gender and age disparities in employment opportunities.*
Fostering entrepreneurship
by providing support and resources to women and young people who want to start their own businesses in the travel and tourism sector.*
Addressing the issue of informal and low-wage employment
by promoting fair labor practices and ensuring that all workers have access to decent working conditions and opportunities for career advancement.By taking decisive action in these areas, the travel and tourism industry can ensure a more equitable and sustainable recovery for all, leaving no one behind.
