Julia Simpson, World Journey & Tourism Council President & CEO addresses friends at ITB Opening Ceremony in Berlin.
BERLIN, GERMANY – Throughout her speech to distinguished friends on the opening ceremony of ITB Berlin, Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, stated: “Final 12 months, proper right here on this stage, I stated journey is again. Now, simply 12 months later, it’s not simply again, it’s booming.
“In comparison with final 12 months, we’re already seeing double digit progress in customer numbers from key supply markets such because the UK, Spain, and Greece. Additional afield, our knowledge exhibits extra travellers from the U.S. will go to Germany this 12 months than final.
“Throughout Europe, we’re seeing huge will increase within the variety of worldwide arrivals. Arrivals into Greece and Portugal are up greater than 20% 12 months on 12 months and Spain, the second hottest vacation spot on this planet, can be set to have a terrific 12 months with arrivals already up 13%.
“2024 is ready to be not only a bumper 12 months for tourism right here in Germany, however for Europe and the world.
“Journey & Tourism was forecast to account for 9.2 % of worldwide GDP in 2023 or $9.5 trillion {dollars}, using 320 million individuals. That’s one in 11 jobs around the globe. And our huge contribution to the worldwide economic system can be set to develop.
“By 2033, a couple of in 9 jobs worldwide will likely be on this sector. In simply 9 years, we’ll account for 11.6 % of worldwide GDP. And over the approaching decade, Journey & Tourism will develop at double the speed of the broader economic system.
“Journey is likely one of the nice accelerators of worldwide improvement. And but, economics alone can not seize the worth of Journey & Tourism. Journey is a power for good in so many profound but hard-to-quantify methods. At a time of political polarisation, it leads individuals to frequent floor. At a time of ecological collapse, it teaches the sanctity and majesty of the pure world.”
Closing her speech, Simpson stated: “However simply as journey is greatest undertaken with eyes and minds open, we have to be open-eyed concerning the challenges we face. WTTC knowledge exhibits that our sector was liable for 8.1% of worldwide emissions in 2019. That’s why our sector’s efforts in direction of extra sustainable fuels like SAF, biodiesel, and various marine fuels are so vital.
“We as a sector should additionally embrace future applied sciences and most significantly, the AI revolution. The impact of AI on Journey & Tourism will likely be extra profound than any technological improvement because the invention of the world large internet”.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Community; his duties embody enterprise improvement and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term alternatives.
