More than $300 billion has been lost globally in exports from international tourism due to travel restrictions put in place to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to a new report published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
The report states that there were 56% fewer international tourists around the world from January to May, compared to the same period last year. The decrease in international travel caused a $320 billion loss in exports from tourism, or international visitors’ spending — more than three times what was lost in the 2009 economic crisis.
As many as 120 million direct tourism jobs are at risk due to the crisis, according to the report. Women make up the majority of the tourism workforce worldwide.
