Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

The latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, reveals that the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector is projected to contribute over $2.6 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) to the U.S. economy over the next decade.
By 2032, the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector is expected to make up 9.2% of the entire U.S. economy based on an average annual growth rate of 3.9% – nearly double the anticipated 2% growth rate of the U.S. economy overall.
According to the forecast, produced in partnership with Oxford Economics, between 2022 and 2032, jobs in the U.S. Travel & Tourism could grow at an average rate of 3.9% annually, representing a 47% increase from 2022 expected job levels.
Whilst the global tourism body welcomes the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which aims to ensure the future growth of Travel & Tourism in the U.S. and create new jobs, WTTC says only immediate action now can secure the long-term recovery of the sector and create more than 6.3 million jobs over the next decade.
For 2022, WTTC projects that the sector’s GDP contribution will grow by more than 42% versus 2021, reaching more than $1.8 billion by the end of this year and accounting for 7.6% of the entire U.S. economy.ADVERTISEMENTBy year-end, the global tourism body forecasts that employment in the sector could increase as much as 28%, reaching 13.5 million jobs nationwide, from a high of 16.8 million in 2019.
INTERNATIONAL VISITOR SPEND MAY STALL U.S. SECTOR RECOVERY
“The long-term recovery of the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector looks positive, bringing more than 6 million new jobs to the U.S. economy over the next 10 years,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO. “But the landscape is highly competitive, and the U.S. is losing out on international visitors.”
Simpson continued: “Full recovery of Travel & Tourism relies on a significant rebound of international travel. While the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy is a step in the right direction, 2021 was another difficult year for U.S. economy and the millions of livelihoods who rely on it.
“Many countries’ Travel & Tourism sector is bouncing back to pre-pandemic numbers next year, but the U.S. is not expected to recover until 2025.”
Despite strong projected growth in employment and GDP contribution over the next 10 years, WTTC’s data indicates that pressure created by slow international traveler spending in the U.S. will continue to drive a significant performance gap in the sector’s recovery this year.
At the current pace of the recovery, the U.S. international spending would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, showcasing the urgency of opening borders to international travelers.
In fact, international traveler spend to the U.S. remains far below pre-pandemic levels, resulting in a slower-than-expected recovery of international tourism revenue.
In 2021, international visitor spending grew a modest 1.4%, reaching $40.3 billion but falling far short of 2019’s total of $190.9 billion.

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American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) President & CEO Zane Kerby issues the following statement in response to reports that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will lift its requirement for travelers to test negative for COVID-19 before entering the U.S.:
“We are thrilled to see the end of the CDC’s inbound testing rule, which has been standing in the way of our industry’s recovery for too long. Since the start of the year, ASTA has been engaged in a multi-layered advocacy campaign to get to this point, including direct lobbying of Congress and Administration officials, grassroots action and pressure through national and local media. We commend the Biden Administration for taking this long-overdue step and thank ASTA members across the country for their hard work in helping get this across the finish line. While plenty of challenges remain in terms of rebuilding the travel agency business, today is a great day.”
Addressing the CDC’s inbound testing rule has long been ASTA’s top policy priority. The Society’s advocacy campaign on the issue featured over 100 Congressional meetings, nearly 4,000 grassroots emails to the Administration, over 7,400 letters to the editor through our grassroots portal, and multiple ASTA and coalition letters to Administration officials.

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American Gaming Association (AGA) President and CEO Bill Miller issued the following statement on the Biden administration’s announcement that the pre-departure testing requirement for international air travelers to the United States will be lifted on June 12:
“The American Gaming Association applauds the White House’s decision to lift the COVID-19 testing requirement for international air travelers to the United States. By welcoming back international business and leisure travelers, the American gaming industry and our nation’s hospitality sector can fully recover. This move puts the United States on equal footing with other countries and will provide a major boost to our nation’s travel and hospitality industries.
“The AGA and our members have been vocal proponents of this move for months, and we are thankful for the Nevada delegation and other champions in Congress who continue to support gaming communities across the country. We are grateful to the CDC, all those in the health and science community, and the Biden administration for tackling this enormous challenge and making this a reality.
“At the same time, we must not forget that more can still be done to return tourism to pre-pandemic levels. We ask the State Department to continue their work to speed up international visa processing time by investing in additional staff and allowing virtual interviews. Eliminating the testing requirement will undoubtedly open our doors to more international visitors and we should make the process for entry as efficient and accessible as possible.”

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UNWTO has welcomed Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory into its International Network of Sustainable Observatories (INSTO).
Bogotá´s Tourism Observatory has longstanding and extensive monitoring experience and has been further strengthened by the City Council as an instrument of public management and mechanism to consolidate, systematize, analyze and research information of the tourism sector. Becoming a member of INSTO will help Bogotá in managing tourism development in a responsible and sustainable manner and allow it to better deal with post-pandemic recovery.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The INSTO network is a platform where we welcome Observatories that are committed to basing the sustainable development of tourism on evidence, participatory approaches and transparency. We are very pleased to welcome Bogotá into the Network as the latest member.”Inclusive future for Bogotá´s tourism
Bogotá is home to a wide variety of tourist resources and attractions and has an infrastructure that allows for the development of different high-quality tourism products. As the most popular Colombian destination in terms of tourist numbers, arrivals in 2021 reached almost 6 million, with growth of 49.8% in relation to 2020, contributing US$5.795 billion corresponding to 2.4% of the total GDP of the city, which meant an annual increase of 38.2% between 2020 and 2021. Within the Sustainable Tourism Policy of Colombia 2022, the vision of strengthening the reputation and recognition of Colombia as a sustainable tourism destination is clearly outlined.
The Vice Minister of Tourism Ricardo Galindo Bueno assured that “for the Vice Ministry of Tourism it is great news that the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory is part of the UNWTO INSTO network, because a tool of these characteristics and qualities, allows public policies of the sector in the district to continue to be nourished by objective measurements that improve decision making”.ADVERTISEMENTDirector of the District Institute of Tourism (IDT), Karol Fajardo Mariño explained: “The adhesion of the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory to the UNWTO INSTO Network will allow us to share with other tourist destinations experiences and development and measurement strategies based on exemplary sustainability, in an effort to respond to the needs of quality tourism information demanded by the sector.”
The Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory will monitor 11 key areas for tourism sustainability: tourism seasonality, employment, economic benefits of the destination, energy management, water management, wastewater management, solid waste management, climate action, accessibility, local satisfaction and governance, which will facilitate decision-making and the processes of formulating public policies and strengthening the sustainable development of our city.

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Bogotá´s Tourism Observatory has longstanding and extensive monitoring experience and has been further strengthened by the City Council as an instrument of public management and mechanism to consolidate, systematise, analyse and research information of the tourism sector. Becoming a member of INSTO will help Bogotá in managing tourism development in a responsible and sustainable manner and allow it to better deal with post-pandemic recovery.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The INSTO network is a platform where we welcome Observatories that are committed to basing the sustainable development of tourism on evidence, participatory approaches and transparency. We are very pleased to welcome Bogotá into the Network as the latest member.”
Inclusive future for Bogotá´s tourismBogotá is home to a wide variety of tourist resources and attractions and has an infrastructure that allows for the development of different high-quality tourism products. As the most popular Colombian destination in terms of tourist numbers, arrivals in 2021 reached almost 6 million, with growth of 49.8% in relation to 2020, contributing US$5.795 billion corresponding to 2.4% of the total GDP of the city, which meant an annual increase of 38.2% between 2020 and 2021. Within the Sustainable Tourism Policy of Colombia 2022, the vision of strengthening the reputation and recognition of Colombia as a sustainable tourism destination is clearly outlined.
The Vice Minister of Tourism Ricardo Galindo Bueno assured that “for the Vice Ministry of Tourism it is great news that the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory is part of the UNWTO INSTO network, because a tool of these characteristics and qualities, allows public policies of the sector in the district to continue to be nourished by objective measurements that improve decision making”.
Director of the District Institute of Tourism (IDT), Karol Fajardo Mariño explained: “The adhesion of the Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory to the UNWTO INSTO Network will allow us to share with other tourist destinations experiences and development and measurement strategies based on exemplary sustainability, in an effort to respond to the needs of quality tourism information demanded by the sector.”ADVERTISEMENTThe Bogotá’s Tourism Observatory will monitor 11 key areas for tourism sustainability: tourism seasonality, employment, economic benefits of the destination, energy management, water management, wastewater management, solid waste management, climate action, accessibility, local satisfaction and governance, which will facilitate decision-making and the processes of formulating public policies and strengthening the sustainable development of our city.

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The number of Russian tourists visiting Thailand is projected to significantly jump from 10,000 visits in 2021 to 435,000 in 2022, according to GlobalData. The leading data and analytics company notes that tourism ministers in Thailand must now ensure they can capitalise on this demand by increasing direct flights from Russia and ensuring aspects such as card payments can be accommodated across tourist hotspots.
When looking at Cyprus, a top outbound destination for Russians prior to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, visitation to the island nation is projected to drop by 42.6% year-on-year (YoY) in 2022. Thailand could potentially cater for many of these Russian visitors that now deem the logistics of traveling to EU countries too difficult.
Ralph Hollister, Travel and Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Thailand is set to fully reopen its borders to international tourists this year with no need for a negative pre-departure PCR test. Additionally, it has not placed any restrictions on Russia concerning the ongoing geopolitical crisis with Ukraine. Although the number of Russian tourists traveling to Thailand is predicted to only be at 29.2% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels in 2022, the aforementioned factors will likely combine to create a staggering 4,421% YoY increase in Russian visitation to Thailand in 2022.”
According to GlobalData’s Q3 2021 Consumer Survey, 61% of Russian respondents stated they typically take sun and beach trips, with this type of trip being the most popular for this market. Thailand is world-renowned for its sun and beach product, with locations such as Maya Beach and Monkey Bay attracting tourists from across the globe. Cultural trips are also popular with this market, with 39% of Russians stating that they typically undertake this type of holiday. Thailand’s highly unique culture acts as a significant pull factor for international tourists with its Thai temples and palaces.
Thailand has acknowledged it now has a key opportunity to become a major destination for Russian travelers in the coming years. In May 2022, Thailand’s Minister of Commerce stated that Thai banks had displayed interest in Russia’s proposal to introduce the Mir payment system for Russian travelers in Thailand and pledged to coordinate with the appropriate Tourism and Transport ministries to facilitate direct flights from Russia.ADVERTISEMENTHollister concludes: “With Russian travelers spending a total of $22.5 billion in 2021, which placed Russia in the top 10 globally for total outbound tourist expenditure, Thailand could benefit significantly from the EU’s ban on Russian travel as the market is forced to change its preferred destinations due to the ongoing crisis.”
Thailand is considered Asia’s Leading Cultural Destination 2021 by World Travel Awards.

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The latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, reveals that the U.S. travel and tourism sector is expected to make up 9.2% of the entire U.S. economy based on an average annual growth rate of 3.9% – nearly double the anticipated 2% growth rate of the U.S. economy overall.
According to the forecast, produced in partnership with Oxford Economics, between 2022 and 2032, jobs in the U.S. travel and tourism could grow at an average rate of 3.9% annually, representing a 47% increase from 2022 expected job levels.
Whilst the global tourism body welcomes the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which aims to ensure the future growth of travel and tourism in the U.S. and create new jobs, WTTC says only immediate action now can secure the long-term recovery of the sector and create more than 6.3 million jobs over the next decade.
For 2022, WTTC projects that the sector’s GDP contribution will grow by more than 42% versus 2021, reaching more than $1.8 billion by the end of this year and accounting for 7.6% of the entire U.S. economy.
By year-end, the global tourism body forecasts that employment in the sector could increase as much as 28%, reaching 13.5 million jobs nationwide, from a high of 16.8 million in 2019.ADVERTISEMENTINTERNATIONAL VISITOR SPEND MAY STALL U.S. SECTOR RECOVERY“The long-term recovery of the U.S. travel and tourism sector looks positive, bringing more than 6 million new jobs to the U.S. economy over the next 10 years,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO. “But the landscape is highly competitive, and the U.S. is losing out on international visitors.”
Simpson continued: “Full recovery of travel and tourism relies on a significant rebound of international travel. While the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy is a step in the right direction, 2021 was another difficult year for the U.S. economy and the millions of livelihoods who rely on it.
“Many countries’ travel and tourism sector is bouncing back to pre-pandemic numbers next year, but the U.S. is not expected to recover until 2025.”
Despite strong projected growth in employment and GDP contribution over the next 10 years, WTTC’s data indicates that pressure created by slow international traveller spending in the U.S. will continue to drive a significant performance gap in the sector’s recovery this year.
At the current pace of the recovery, the U.S. international spending would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, showcasing the urgency of opening borders to international travellers.
In fact, international traveller spend to the U.S. remains far below pre-pandemic levels, resulting in a slower-than-expected recovery of international tourism revenue.
In 2021, international visitor spending grew a modest 1.4%, reaching $40.3 billion but falling far short of 2019’s total of $190.9 billion.

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For many years now, Vietnam has been a popular tourist destination – in fact, prior to the start of the COVID pandemic in 2019, over 18 million international tourists visited the country. Perhaps unsurprisingly, hundreds of thousands of foreigners also decided to make Vietnam their home. Although there is no official figure on the number of expats living in the country, a report from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs shows that as of April, 2021 there were about 101,550 foreigners working in Vietnam on a permanent basis.
Expats come from all over the world to make Việt Nam their home. VNA/VNS Photo
Which has got me thinking – why do so many people decide to make Việt Nam their home?
Stevie Willows from South Africa puts a lot of it down to the cost of living.
“The cost of living is cheap, [Việt Nam is] close to other Asia countries, so it’s easy to travel. Socialising is easy and cheap too,” he saidADVERTISEMENTIt’s no secret that the cost of living is a big factor for many expats living in Việt Nam.
Despite the average Vietnamese salary being around VNĐ7.8 million (US$336), in jobs like teaching where many expats are employed, wages start at around VNĐ30,000,000 ($1,300) a month.
This makes both the cost and quality of life very appealing to foreigners who are considering making Việt Nam their home, especially in comparison to the savings-to-outgoings ratio in most peoples’ home countries.
Kelsey Scheepers, also from South Africa, agrees: “Living costs are much more viable as opposed to my own country.”
However, while the cost of living is a big draw, it isn’t the only reason that many foreigners have made Việt Nam their home.
Others were drawn here by their work and didn’t expect to stay for so long.
Callum Maxwell is an Australian whose company posted him to Việt Nam, initially on a one-year contract. However, because of the culture, people, and food, he’s decided to extend his contract and stay for longer.
“I love the food that you can eat here, there are so many things that just aren’t available back home,” Callum said.
“I love seafood, especially things like fried eels, which you don’t see very often in Australia. That, combined with just how friendly and welcoming the people are, is a big reason that I’ve decided to stay in Việt Nam longer than I initially thought.”
For some, it is the incredibly diverse range of dishes on offer that has convinced them to stay in Việt Nam longer than they intended. VNS Photo Hồ Hoàng
Harriet Peterson from the UK has been in Hà Nội for a year, one of the few who arrived during the COVID pandemic. She only ended up in Việt Nam as her husband was offered a job here. While she only expected to stay for around six months, a year later she has no intention of leaving.
“I love it here, I really do. The people are so friendly and the way of living is so easy. A lot of people say that the language is too hard to learn, but I don’t agree. Of course, the tones are difficult to wrap your head around, but if you make the effort to try and speak the language, it really does go a long way.
“I think that is the single best piece of advice that can be given to someone who has just moved to Việt Nam – try and learn the language. You can’t really understand somewhere if you are limited to only speaking to people that speak the same language as yourself, a foreign language to them. Learn the language and you’ll have a much better, more complete experience here.”
His reasoning is mirrored by Maria Nicole, from the US. She has been here for five years, though that was never her plan before arriving.
“My advice to anyone who wants to come to Việt Nam is do it, just do it. You won’t regret it.”
The cost of living, high salary and savings potential are no doubt alluring for foreigners that have chosen to make Việt Nam their home. However, it is clear that while the pay and savings potential is a big draw that gets people here initially, it’s the quality of life, culture and ultimately the people of Việt Nam that convinces people to stay.
Vietnam is considered as Asia’s Leading Cultural City Destination 2021, Asia’s Leading Destination 2021 and Asia’s Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination 2021 by voters at World Travel Awards.

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