Coronavirus threatens 50 million tourism jobs worldwide

• March 18 2020
• http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Coronavirus_threatens_50_million_tourism_jobs_worldwide

As the world ramps up measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), it has been speculated that the deadly pandemic could put some 50 million jobs in the tourism sector at stake.

Based on reports by Bloomberg News last week, it was said that the world has already begun to feel far-reaching impacts. This, as hundreds of airplanes have been grounded and dozens of cruise ships docked — expected to impact about 25 per cent of the estimated trips for this year.

Virginia Messina, managing director of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), shared the view that the tourism sector will inevitably suffer.

“For many companies it is a matter of how long they can go on for without generating any income, and generating large losses as they reimburse trips,” she said.

The entity, based on preliminary estimates, also suggested that some 16 per cent of tourism jobs across the world will be threatened based on a figure of 319 million people being employed to the sector in 2018.

“The most impacted businesses will be those depending on Chinese travellers, as they are the world's top-spending tourists. The consequences will be devastating for cruise companies,” Messina said while noting that countries have banned many ships from docking in their ports after the coronavirus was detected on several voyages.

JAMAICA Similar measures were also undertaken in Jamaica as the ministries of health, tourism, and the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) have imposed stricter guidelines for cruise ships arriving in the country.