ROADMAP FOR RECOVERY TOURISM & TRAVEL: A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY

(Report of the Secretary General on Sustainable Tourism in Challenging Times) The global economy is undergoing its most severe recession of the post second world war period with damaging consequences for millions of people, businesses and jobs worldwide. Advanced economies have been struggling with recession, and even the emerging economies, which at the beginning seemed to resist better, rapidly had to face the impact of the economic crisis. The latest economic prospects indicate that the world economy may have bottomed out and may be starting to emerge from this unprecedented recession. But experts warn that recovery might be sluggish. Furthermore, unemployment, which rose fast, will take longer to rebound. . The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that global unemployment could increase by an additional 29 million (lowest scenario) to 59 million (highest scenario) unemployed people in 2009 versus 2007. Tourism, though resisting better than other sectors has not been immune to the deteriorating economic situation. After a very sound start, with worldwide growth in international arrivals averaging nearly 6% in the first six months of 2008, demand fell harshly – by 1% between July and December 2008. As expected, this trend has intensified in 2009 – international tourist arrivals fell by an estimated 8/9% during the first six months of this year www.unwto.org/trc/index.php?lang=E