COMCEC Tourism Outlook-2016
15
Travel & Tourism generated 15,393,000 jobs directly in 2015 (2.8% of total employment) and
this is forecast to grow by 1.7% in 2016 to 15,657,500 (2.7%of total employment). This includes
employment by hotels, travel agents, airlines and other passenger transportation services. It
also includes, for example, the activities of the restaurant and leisure industries directly
supported by tourists. By 2026, Travel & Tourism will account for 19,980,000 jobs directly, an
increase of 2.5% pa over the next ten years. Total contribution of travel and tourism to
employment in OIC member states is 39,716,000 jobs in 2015 (7.1% of total employment)
(WTTC. 2016).
Leisure spending (inbound and domestic) in OIC member states generated 76% of direct travel
& tourism GDP in 2015.
In Figure 4.1, direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP can be seen for 47 member
countries in 2015. This figure expresses the importance of travel and tourism for economies of
member states. Meanwhile, this figure excludes Maldives, since travel and tourism’s direct
contribution was 52.4% in Maldives which makes the figure inapprehensible to analyze. As one
of the small island developing states, Maldives is the most tourism-dependent country which
relies on flow of tourists. This dependence on tourism in this kind of countries may make them
more vulnerable, as the tourism sector is reputed to be unstable, particularly sensitive to
economic fluctuations in the tourists’ countries of departure and to international political
events.
Many countries have embraced tourism as a way to boost the economy. According to the figure,
GDP contribution of travel and tourism is relatively high in countries like Gambia (8.4%),
Lebanon (8.1%) and Morocco (7.7%). As the tourism sector is reputed to be unstable, these
countries are particularly more sensitive to economic fluctuations in tourism and to
international political events.
According to the WTTC data for the year 2015, countries with little reliance on tourism as part
of GDP include Uzbekistan and Gabon, travel and tourismmakes up just 1.1 percent of total GDP
in each. For economies of these countries, travel and tourism sectors seem not primarily
important.
It is important to note that diversification in an economy is a sign of health, however if a country
or region becomes dependent for its economic survival upon one industry, it can put major
stress upon this industry as well as the people involved to perform well.