Despite an unprecedented fall in international tourism, growth in tourism for rural areas may be expected - a trend that could gain momentum in the coming years. 110 million tourism jobs worldwide are also in danger.

The number of tourists in the world is expected to crash 70% this year following the Corona crisis - the sharpest fall since this figure was published in the 1950s. This is what the UN Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zorab Pololikshvili estimated.

In an interview with the German Handelsblatt newspaper, Pololikshvili said the dismal outlook is based on the assumption that countries across the world will gradually open their borders as of August.

A previous forecast by the World Tourism Organization since the beginning of May saw a 60% -80% fall in the number of tourists in the world in 2020 due to the plague.

The organization's secretary-general noted that the Corona epidemic could jeopardize 110 million jobs worldwide, but added that despite unprecedented falls in international tourism, growth in tourism to rural areas may be expected, a trend that could gain momentum in the coming years.

The tourism sector employs 330 million people worldwide and is responsible for more than 10% of world GDP, according to the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC).

The industry suffered a severe blow as a result of the Coronavirus epidemic, which has caused the grounding of almost all passenger jets in the world. Some airlines have already gone bankrupt, including the second oldest airline in the world and the largest airline in South America. In addition, airlines, together with aircraft manufacturers, have announced the dismissal of tens of thousands of workers due to the Corona crisis.