Wirth opens registration for world-class traditional arts programs in Riyadh    MWL chief welcomes Uzbek official, hails Center's efforts in promoting Islamic values    Etidal and Telegram remove over 30 million extremist posts in Q2 2025    HR Ministry launches 'Skills Week' to empower youth and align talent with labor market needs    Saudi Arabia operates 10 renewable energy projects with SR19.8 billion in investment by end of 2024    Saudia posts 7.2% passenger growth in H1 2025, leads global punctuality    Al-Khateeb hails Taif's tourism appeal as Saudi Summer 2025 gets underway    Housing-starved Hong Kong turns Covid quarantine site into hostel    Trump to meet NATO secretary general as plan takes shape for Ukraine weapons sales    Trump defends US Attorney General Pam Bondi over Epstein files    At least 30 killed in sectarian clashes in Syria    SA police minister suspended over organized crime allegations    Jeddah exhibition showcases 500 years of Makkah and Madinah imagery    Jannik Sinner beats Carlos Alcaraz to win his maiden Wimbledon title    Chelsea defeat PSG 3-0 to win first expanded Club World Cup    France's Lady Liberty artwork goes viral as a new Statue of Liberty could be in the works    Theo Hernández: Al Hilal can compete with Europe's best    Abdullah Al-Qaisoom wins silver at Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championship    SFDA approves 'Winrevair' for rare pulmonary hypertension treatment    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Coronavirus pandemic could cost global tourism $2 trillion this year
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 29 - 11 - 2021

The coronavirus pandemic will likely cost the global tourism sector $2 trillion in lost revenue in 2021, the UN's tourism body said Monday, calling the sector's recovery "fragile" and "slow."
According to the latest forecast by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the same amount was lost in 2020, making it one of the sectors hit hardest by the health crisis.
Despite recent improvements, the report warned that demand for travel could be further affected by "uneven vaccination rates around the world and new COVID-19 strains which had prompted new travel restrictions in some countries.
In the past few days, the emergence of the Omicron variant has led dozens of countries to reinstate restrictions on arrivals, or to delay relaxation in COVID-19 travel and testing rules, leading to wide uncertainty for holiday season travelers worldwide.
Spikes in oil prices and the disruption of global supply chains have also had an effect. According to the latest UNWTO data, international tourist arrivals are expected to remain 70-75 percent below 2019 levels in 2021, a similar decline as in 2020.
'We cannot let our guard down'
Although a 58 percent increase in tourist arrivals was registered in July-September of this year compared to the same period in 2020, this remained 64 percent below 2019 levels, the UN body found.
In August and September, arrivals were at 63 percent lower than 2019, which is the highest monthly result since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Between January and September 2021, worldwide international tourist arrivals stood at 20 per cent lower, compared to 2020, a clear improvement from the 54 percent drop, over the first six months of the year.
"Data for the third quarter of 2021 is encouraging," UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said. "However, arrivals are still 76 percent below pre-pandemic levels and results across the different global regions remain uneven."
In light of the rising cases and the emergence of new variants, he added, "We cannot let our guard down and need to continue our efforts to ensure equal access to vaccinations, coordinate travel procedures, make use of digital vaccination certificates to facilitate mobility, and continue to support the sector."
Uneven recovery
Despite the improvement seen in the third quarter of the year, the pace of recovery remains slow and uneven across world regions.
In some sub-regions, such as Southern and Mediterranean Europe, the Caribbean, North and Central America, arrivals actually rose above 2020 levels in the first nine months of 2021.
However, arrivals in Asia and the Pacific were down by as much as 95 percent when compared with 2019, as many destinations remained closed to non-essential travel.
Africa and the Middle East recorded 74 percent and 81 percent drops respectively in the third quarter compared to 2019. Among the larger destinations, Croatia, Mexico and Turkey showed the strongest recovery in the period of July to September.
Caribbean rebound
The Caribbean had the highest results of any of the subregions defined by the UNWTO, with arrivals up 55 percent compared to 2020.
International tourist arrivals "rebounded" during the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere thanks to increased travel confidence, rapid vaccination and the easing of entry restrictions in many nations.
In Europe, the EU Digital COVID Certificate has helped facilitate free movement within the European Union, the report added. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.