The global economy could lose more than $4trn because of the damage Covid-19 has had on international tourism, a United Nations report has warned. The report, issued by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in conjunction with the UN World Tourism Organisation, said international tourism and its closely linked sectors lost an estimated $2.4trn in 2020, and predicted a similar loss for this year, of between $1.7trn and $2.4trn. UNCTAD acting secretary general Isabelle Durant added: "The world needs a global vaccination effort that will protect workers, mitigate adverse social effects and make strategic decisions regarding tourism." Tourism is expected to recover faster in countries that have higher vaccination rates, including the UK, France, Switzerland and the US. The most affected regions were north east and south east Asia, Oceania, north Africa and south Asia.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 30, 2021 14:03 UTC