Global cities’ sector recovery well underway: WTTC

Global cities’ sector recovery well underway: WTTC

Cities are recovering around the world, this year and will continue to grow and thrive over the next decade, said Julia Simpson, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) at the Global Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“Before the pandemic, cities were powerhouses for international tourists, serving as standalone destinations and as gateways to other tourist destinations within countries,” she added, commenting on WTTC’s Cities Economic Impact Report (EIR) launched at the 22nd Global Summit.

“Our report clearly shows that for millions of tourists around the world, major cities remain iconic global destinations. There’s still a strong appetite to experience the history, culture, and energy that cities offer travellers,” Simpson noted.

Sponsored by Visa, the report shows cities remain the powerhouses of global tourism and will drive the recovery of the sector and economies around the world.

The Cities EIR analyses 82 international city destinations and shows that prior to the pandemic major cities were popular travel destinations, accounting for almost half of all international visits, both as standalone destinations and as gateways to other tourism hotspots within countries.

Covid-19 had a devastating impact on Travel & Tourism and in particular major cities around the world as countries closed their borders