A significant number of jobs in various industries, including sales, clerical work, and hospitality, have been lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with some experiencing drops as high as 46 percent.
China's efforts to attract international tourists after reopening its borders have been met with low bookings and a 70% drop in international travelers in the first half of this year, attributed to the lasting damage from the pandemic, China's negative global image, and geopolitical tensions; analysts predict it could take another three years for visitor numbers to reach pre-pandemic levels.
Companies, employees, and governments worldwide are still grappling with how to adapt to changes in the workplace brought on by the pandemic, with stark differences emerging across continents and cultures, and Asian and European workers largely returning to offices at a faster pace than their American counterparts due to factors such as cultural expectations, reliable public transportation, and home office sizes.
The UN World Tourism Organization's latest report reveals that there was a combined loss of 2.6 billion international tourist arrivals from 2019 to 2022, primarily due to global lockdowns and travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. This resulted in a decline in tourist demand and a loss of $4.2 trillion in tourism direct GDP over the four years, impacting millions of jobs and small businesses worldwide.
China's tourism industry is struggling to recover from the pandemic, with international tourism still far below pre-pandemic levels, and the shortage of tourists is attributed to factors such as challenges with payment methods, detainment of foreigners, and expensive and limited flights from the US, which is worrisome as it adds to China's other economic problems and could have a negative impact on the global economy.
The US labor market has made significant strides in recovering from the pandemic, with employment in the food services and drinking places industry returning to pre-pandemic levels, but the accommodations industry, including hotels, still lags behind by 10.3%. Despite this, the overall labor market added 336,000 new jobs in September, surpassing expectations and indicating a resilient economy.
Chinese tourists fueled a temporary boost in tourism revenues during the recent national holiday, reaching pre-pandemic levels and contributing to the country's economy, despite concerns over a real estate crisis and high youth unemployment.
The German travel industry has seen a rebound in sales, but a significant number of people can no longer afford organized holidays abroad, highlighting a growing disparity between those who can and cannot travel due to the economic impacts of the pandemic and a deepening recession forecasted for Germany. Additionally, the president of the German travel association DRV emphasized the need for affordable vacations for average earners and addressed the role of travel agencies in promoting climate-friendly and sustainable travel in response to the increasing impact of climate change.
