A study was done by the World Travel & Tourism Council that illustrates the role of the industry as a social driver.

The Social Impact Paper of WTTC shows that tourism stimulates economic growth and improves social change through the willingness of society to enrich it. As a job creator, it leads to poverty alleviation and is a catalyst for entrepreneurship and creativity.

The study, conducted jointly with the SPI, reveals important associations between WTTC's economic impact monitoring information and the SPI in the last decade. Specifically, social progress scores affect dramatically the overall contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP and employment. As particularly strong performers, China, Cambodia, Rwanda and Sri Lanka were highlighted.

At a time when the pandemic hit the travel & tourism industry, and hundreds of millions of jobs were lost, and the new economic modelling from WTTC estimates that 174 million jobs were affected globally in 2020.

Research shows that tourism has benefited people in many parts of the world at a faster pace than the economy as a whole.

Between 2011 and 2019, the most rapid annual growth rate of tourism and travel per capita GDP was 6.7%, compared with 3.7% for the region, while GDP per capita increased 3%, compared with just 0.3% for the region's economy overall.

To sustain job growth from megacities to rural areas, international travel revenue is necessary. Research shows that one new job is created for every 34 international tourists to a destination. In Africa, in the Asia Pacific and in the Middle East, where 11, 13 and 24 international tourists take the chance to build a new career. 

The study indicates that more than USD 2 is generated indirectly for each USD1 generated indirect and tourism GDP globally.

For every direct job globally, nearly two new jobs are created on an indirect or induced basis, with one direct job in travel and tourism effectively creating a total of three positions.

Diversity in the Travel Environment is also vital to businesses' growth, to their positive effect on societies, and the enhanced experience of travellers, in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, community, religion and physical ability.

 “WTTC is proud to release this critical research focusing on social impact, which highlights how essential travel and tourism is to our world, said WTTC president and CEO, Gloria Guevara.

“Travel & Tourism is one of the most diverse sectors, employing people from all socio-economic backgrounds regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, with almost 54% of whom are women and up to 30% youths.

“After nearly a full year of insecurity and hardship that has come from the Covid-19 pandemic, the time could not be more appropriate to celebrate the importance of the sector, she added.

According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, travel and tourism supported one in 10 jobs (330 million total), made a 10.3% contribution to global GDP, and generated one in four of all new jobs.