The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is calling on governments around the world to step up, warning that as many as one million travel and tourism industry jobs are being lost worldwide each day amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The outbreak has prompted numerous travel restrictions, led airlines to suspend flights and forced cruise lines to temporarily cease operations. Travel advisors, hotel workers, drivers, restaurant servers and many other occupations in the travel space have also been hit hard.
"While the priority for governments is to keep people safe, this global health catastrophe means a million people a day in the travel and tourism industry alone are losing their jobs and facing potential ruin due to the disastrous impact of the coronavirus pandemic," WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara said in a statement on Friday. "It is heartbreaking that the livelihoods of millions of people who have dedicated their lives to the travel and tourism sector are being decimated, from waiters to taxi drivers, guides to chefs and caterers, pilots to cleaners."
"While some governments have been quick to respond with promises of help, the majority of businesses still have no idea how to access these potentially life-saving loans and tax breaks," she added. "Today, we call on governments around the world to make crystal-clear how businesses can access funds, which can prevent the hemorrhage of jobs throughout the travel and tourism sector."
Last week, the WTTC stated that as many as 50 million jobs in the travel and tourism sector are at risk. The organization warned that the impact to travel could result in a 12-14 percent loss of jobs across the industry.
In an open letter published earlier this week, the WTTC said that "travel and tourism is in a fight for survival" and encouraged government assistance in the form of tax cuts, stimulus and incentives and loans with no interest.
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