Continued lockdowns, quarantines and other anti-virus measures could push the lost-jobs total for the travel and tourism industry up to 174 million according to studies by the World Travel and Tourism Council, which represents companies in the industry.
And that’s an improvement. In June, WTTC had warned that nearly 200 million jobs could go, but lowered the figure based on a better-than-expected recovery of the industry in China. Even where restrictions have been lessened or removed, travel is much lower than usual, because many are unwilling to risk it now.
WTTC is pushing for extensive use of testing rather than quarantines as a way of containing virus spread; it argues that unless that happens, further collapse will hamper the industry’s long-term recovery.
