Corporate DispatchPro DR JULIAN ZARB
A place for the community A fifth of the world’s population travelled for tourism purposes in 2019. That year, the United Nations World Trade Organisation estimated a record total international expenditure of $1.4 trillion in the sector.
Global tourism has been on an impressive upward trend for decades until the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted the flow in one fell swoop. Last year, all regions around the world registered negative growth in tourism activities, falling sharply by a combined 63.5 per cent. The viral wave washed away established operators and put industries such as airlines and hotels on the brink. The knock-on effects on economies will take years to dissipate. But economics is only one side of tourism. The activity is, in essence, a socio-cultural phenomenon and, although, it drives economic growth, creates jobs, and raises living standards in many countries, tourism cannot be reduced to a mere export. Tourism is a meaningful exchange between visitors and a host community, an authentic experience of hospitality. As opportunities for financial gain broadened, tourism developed into a string of prepackaged activities, often bypassing the local community. Towns and cities where residents live were recast into a parallel existence as sites and destinations inhabited by tourists. The success of tourism is not measured by the dollars it leaves behind but by the authentic sense of place that it creates for both residents and visitors. Host communities are not just sitting tenants: the destination is theirs and they are an integral part of the visitor experience. At the same time, inbound tourism can also be directly beneficial to the quality of life of residents, not only to businesses in the sector. 17
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