Mr Marcello Risi, Director of Communications at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), has indicated that the tourism sector across the globe has been grounded following the Coronavirus pandemic.
This, he said, has led to the collapse of several jobs since the sector is a big employer around the globe.
He told Francis Doku on the Travel Pass Show on 3FM that about 80 per cent of small and medium scale businesses have gone under after the sector was grounded over the pandemic.
He said: “Tourism has completely stopped from everybody’s perspective. We understand that this virus is highly contagious and of courses spread from people to people and that the transmission has to be stopped.
“So we have to stay put. If we had to stay put then tourism has to stop.
“Businesses are in trouble, jobs are in trouble. No jobs, it means it a threat to communities and development efforts. So really the ripple effect goes far beyond tourism itself and this is a challenge that we are facing as a sector.”
Mr Marcello Risi further stated that: “We have to wait and see if the conditions will come back stronger and sustainable. For the time being we are grounded.
“The implications are huge on the level of unemployment and for small and medium size enterprises.
“Tourism is a huge employer the world over and that’s why the sector has embraced and ready to kick start the process.
“80 per cent of the tourism sector is small and medium size enterprises and these are also very strong in terms of employment. So if we are grounded as a sector, businesses are in trouble, jobs are in trouble.”
By Laud Ayensu | 3news.com
