Travel Industry Association Unveils Devastating Impact of Pandemic on Female and Youth Workers in Travel and Tourism Sectors
News Article: Travel & Tourism Sector Calls for Inclusive Recovery for Women and Youth
The travel and tourism sector is on the rebound after the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, but a new report reveals that the social recovery is lagging, particularly for women and young people.
The "Social Trends in Travel & Tourism Employment" report, launched in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism, highlights key strategies for an inclusive and equitable recovery for women and youth in the sector.
The report calls for prioritizing targeted skills development and training programs, implementing policies that promote gender equality and youth inclusion, fostering supportive workplace environments, encouraging entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities, leveraging digital platforms and technologies, and engaging stakeholders across government, private sector, and civil society.
The report examines employment trends across 185 economies from 2019 to 2022, and reveals that in 2022, the sector employed 42 million women and just over 16 million young people, significantly lower than the numbers in 2019. Young workers, who make up a greater share of the travel and tourism workforce compared to the wider economy, face particular challenges in accessing stable employment.
Despite the challenges, the travel and tourism sector's GDP contribution rose by 29.1% above pre-pandemic levels in 2023, outpacing the global average. However, the gender split in travel and tourism employment nearly mirrors that of the wider economy, with women remaining underrepresented in high-wage and leadership roles.
The report also highlights the impact of the pandemic on employment, with approximately 70 million people working in travel and tourism losing their jobs during the pandemic. In Saudi Arabia, women's employment in tourism was the fifth fastest growing among G20 countries in 2022.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, stated that the report underscores the urgent need for action to unlock the full potential of women and young people within the travel and tourism sector. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, emphasised the Kingdom's commitment to supporting youth and female employment in the sector.
To address the disparities, the report calls for urgent action to maximise the sector's potential as a driver of inclusive growth. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a new report revealing the impact of the pandemic on women and youth employment within the global travel and tourism sector.
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 underscores the Kingdom's commitment to ensuring travel and tourism is a key driver of social change. In 2024, Saudi Arabia plans to invest 375 million riyals for skills development training local tour guides and supporting entrepreneurship.
The focus on localising services in areas like AlUla and Diriyah has created new opportunities for women in heritage tourism jobs in Saudi Arabia. The report serves as a call to governments and businesses worldwide to prioritise the inclusion of women and youth in the workforce, to invest in their skills and future, and to ensure that the benefits of travel and tourism are shared by all.
Canada's example of growing employment in tourism, with a forecast supporting 1.8 million jobs, underscores the importance of proactive steps to maintain inclusive growth for all demographics, including women and youth, as international dynamics shift. Evidence from emerging market trends also shows higher socioeconomic impact potential when inclusion strategies are effectively implemented to support disadvantaged groups.
In summary, to ensure an inclusive and equitable recovery for women and youth in travel and tourism, the sector must combine skills investment, policy reforms, supportive workplaces, entrepreneurship encouragement, digital access, and multi-stakeholder collaboration targeted at overcoming systemic barriers.
- The travel and tourism sector, as indicated in the "Social Trends in Travel & Tourism Employment" report, needs to prioritize targeted skills development for women and youth to foster an inclusive and equitable recovery.
- Leveraging digital platforms and technologies, as suggested in the report, can empower women and young people in the travel and tourism sector, contributing to a more socially inclusive industry.
