INTERNATIONAL. The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has reported a -70% year-on-year fall in international arrivals for the first eight months of 2020. This represents 700 million fewer arrivals compared to the same period in 2019 and translates into a loss of US$730 billion in export revenues from international tourism. This is more than eight times the loss experienced on the back of the 2009 global economic and financial crisis, according to the UNWTO.
International arrivals plunged by -81% in July and -79% in August, traditionally the two busiest months of the year and the peak of the Northern Hemisphere summer season. Based on the latest trends, UNWTO expects an overall drop close to -70% for the whole of 2020.
“This unprecedented decline is having dramatic social and economic consequences, and puts millions of jobs and businesses at risk,” warned UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “This underlines the urgent need to safely restart tourism, in a timely and coordinated manner”.
All world regions recorded large declines in arrivals in the first eight months of the year. Asia and the Pacific, the first region to suffer from the impact of COVID-19, saw a -79% decrease in arrivals, followed by Africa and the Middle East (both -69%), Europe (-68%) and the Americas (-65%).
Following its gradual reopening of international borders, Europe recorded comparatively smaller declines in July and August (-72% and -69%, respectively). The recovery was short-lived however, as travel restrictions and advisories were reintroduced amid an increase in contagions. Asia and the Pacific recorded the largest declines with -96% in both months, reflecting the closure of borders in China and other major destinations in the region.
UNWTO’s Panel of Experts foresees a rebound in international tourism in 2021, most of them saying it is likely in the third quarter of 2021. Around 20% of experts suggest the rebound could occur in 2022.
The agency noted: “Travel restrictions are seen as the main barrier standing in the way of the recovery of international tourism, along with slow virus containment and low consumer confidence. The lack of coordinated response among countries to ensure harmonised protocols and coordinated restrictions, as well as the deteriorating economic environment were also identified by experts as important obstacles for recovery.”
