WTTC warns of loss of almost 3 million UK travel and tourism jobs

Nearly three million travel and tourism jobs in the UK – and 197 million worldwide – look set to be lost due to the collapse of travel, latest figures from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed.

The body blamed the confusing patchwork of bans, quarantines and ‘uncoordinated international testing and tracing measures’ as deterrents for people who may otherwise have travelled.

The peak European 2020 summer season has been all-but wiped out, it said.

WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara described the situation as ‘heartbreaking’, with many of its worst fears now being realised.

"The jobs and livelihoods of millions of people who work throughout the sector are disappearing by the day, despite our warning this could happen," Guevara said.

"While we acknowledge the UK government’s efforts to support Travel & Tourism during this crisis, the UK alone looks set to lose three million jobs in the sector, creating an economic black hole of US$186 billion in the country’s finances. This is due to an international failure to implement proper coordination to combat the pandemic."

But Guevara claimed there was still time to stem the number of job losses if new measures were implemented.

That would involve replacing ineffective quarantines with comprehensive rapid testing, a worldwide standard of contact tracing and widespread face mask usage.

Employing the latest technology, combined with mass adoption of protective face coverings, would also help restore confidence, the WTTC said.

"Governments around the world must align their policies and work hand in hand with the private sector to revive Travel & Tourism, so we can restore jobs and help revive the global economy," Guevara said.

"We strongly believe that by working as one we can beat COVID-19 and return to safe travels with world class standards of hygiene to travellers and regenerate the jobs and livelihoods of the 300 million people who worked in the sector before Covid-19. That is a much more cost effective and efficient option which will alleviate the terrible economic impact of mass unemployment."

WTTC economic modelling conducted less than two months ago predicted this ‘worst case scenario’ would occur if barriers to global travel, such as quarantine measures and blanket travel restrictions were to remain in place.

While some travel bans have been lifted, many others remain, it said, with new restrictions likely to come into force to tackle the continuing threat posed by Covid, and possible second spikes.

It estimated the UK now looks close to losing $186 billion from the Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to UK GDP, a 73% percent drop compared with 2019.