Editorial, J Tourism Res Hospitality Vol: 10 Issue: 6

Covid-19 Effect on Tourism

Andrew Walls*

Covid-19 Effect on Tourism

*Corresponding Author:

Andrew Walls
Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, San Francisco, State University, USA.
E-mail: andrewwalls121@gmail.com

Received Date: June 19, 2021; Accepted Date: June 26, 2021; Published Date: July 03, 2021

Citation: Walls A (2021) Covid-19 Effect on Tourism. J Tourism Res Hospitality 10:6. e114.

The Tourism industry has been one of the largest contributors to India’s GDP in recent years increasing from a share of 6.70% in 2017 to 9.20% in 2018. The Government of India (“GOI”) over the past few years has taken various supportive measures and has focussed on making The World Travel and Tourism Council 2020 has reported that in the year 2019, tourism generated 39,821 million jobs in India, which is 8.0% of total employment in the year 2019. The tourism industry was one of the world’s greatest markets; until the world met a pandemic in the 21st century, COVID-19.

Before COVID-19, travel and tourism had become one of the most important sectors in the world economy, accounting for 10 percent of global GDP and more than 320 million jobs worldwide. The Covid-19 pandemic has severely impacted the tourism industry across the globe covering sectors like hospitality, tour operators, travel agents, air, land and sea transportation industry and others. As per WTCC, the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to cost the tourism industry at least USD 22 billion resulting in a loss of 50 million jobs globally. India is no exception, tourism has witnessed a significant decline during 2020. In such a situation India is no exception; tourism has witnessed a significant decline during 2020. GOI has a crucial role to play in revival and growth of the tourism industry. GOI needs to take immediate relief measures under the Goods and Services Tax (“GST”) to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on tourism industry. The global pandemic, the first of its scale in a new era of interconnectedness, has put 100 million jobs at risk, many in micro, small, and mediumsized enterprises that employ a high share of women, who represent 54 percent of the tourism workforce, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Tourism sector is easily affected by global crises. It is almost the same day that travelers decide to cancel or delay their trips, with the spread of the news. More indepth analyses uncovered several topics consisted of comments on benefiting from travel insurance and refund due to the travel cancellations. Travel insurance has become a hot topic, which may be a way of reanimating the industry by offering travel packages, including travel insurance services.
Tourism-dependent countries will likely feel the negative impacts of the crisis for much longer than other economies. Contact-intensive services key to the tourism and travel sectors are disproportionately affected by the pandemic and will continue to struggle until people feel safe to travel again.

Tourism industry is probably the worst hit sector due to the pandemic and the consequent restrictions imposed during the lockdown period and also beyond. Revival of this industry should be a prime concern for GOI. Tourism industry in India requires a push for its revival and immediate reliefs under GST laws will bring an impetus to this sector to survive from this never-seenbefore global economic crisis.