Tourism is a major driver of economies around the world, contributing over 10% to the GDP of major tourist destinations. Despite the impact of the health crisis on the sector, the figures seem to be on the up again. By 2022, the tourism industry will have generated 7.7 trillion dollars for all countries combined, representing 7.6% of the world economy. Such is its power that some countries depend heavily on its economic spin-offs to prosper and make a name for themselves. Spotlight on the importance of tourism in major tourist destinations, both in Europe and internationally.
Tourism, or European gold
The countries of Europe are among the world's most popular destinations, both in Southern and Northern Europe. Renowned for their landscapes, cultures, gastronomy and history, these countries attract millions of tourists every year. The Old Continent is expected to welcome more than 600 million international travellers in 2022, according to UN Tourism, formerly the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The number of visitors has risen sharply compared with the previous two years, and the continent is set to record economic spin-offs in the region of 1.9 trillion dollars.
While this performance is still below pre-pandemic levels, it does demonstrate the dynamism of the sector in Europe. A large number of the continent's leading destinations are returning to a contribution from tourism to their GDP more or less similar to that of 2019. This is particularly the case for the countries of Southern Europe, which have seen their visitor numbers rise considerably, coupled with a rebound in tourist spending in the spirit of revenge travel.
In Greece, tourism contributed 18.5% to GDP in 2022, compared with 20.7% in 2019. Tourism receipts that year also reached record levels, topping the €20 billion mark. These figures reflect the importance of the industry in the country, which is the second largest after the merchant navy. The sector is also Greece's largest employer, and according to the Ministry of Tourism, eight out of every ten jobs created in 2017 were in the tourism sector. In total, almost 20% of the Greek population depends on this sector, which is therefore of vital importance to the country and its inhabitants.
But the financial windfall that is tourism is concentrated at certain times of the year, namely during the summer. In order to spread the benefits of this sector more evenly...
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