The WTTC’s annual Economic Impact Report (EIR) has revealed that the dramatic collapse of Canada’s Travel and Tourism sector wiped out a staggering $59.2 billion from the nation’s economy last year and resulted in a loss of 373,000 travel and tourism jobs across the country. However, WTTC believes the true picture could have been significantly worse if not for the government’s job retention scheme, which offered a lifeline to thousands of businesses and workers.
The organization warns, however, that without a swift return of international travel, many more jobs are still at risk, but also maintains that if it does, the lost jobs could return.
The annual EIR from the World Travel & Tourism Council, which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, shows the sector’s impact on GDP dropped 53%. Following two consecutive years in which the Travel & Tourism sector’s growth equalled or outpaced that of the overall economy, its contribution to the nation’s GDP fell from $111.6 billion (6.4%) in 2019, to $52.4 billion (3.2%), just 12 months later, in 2020.
The year of damaging travel restrictions which brought much of international travel to a grinding halt, brought job losses across the entire travel and tourism ecosystem in the country, with small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which make up eight out of 10 of all global businesses in the sector, particularly affected.
Furthermore, as one of the world’s most diverse sectors, the impact on women, youth and minorities was significant.
The number of those employed in the Canadian Travel & Tourism sector fell from nearly 1.8 million in 2019, to just over 1.4 million in 2020 – a drop of 20.9%.
The report also revealed domestic visitor spending declined by 51%, while international spending fared even worse, due to more stringent travel restrictions, causing a fall of 71.1%.
Virginia Messina, Senior VP of WTTC said: “The loss of 373,000 travel and tourism jobs in Canada has had a monumental socio-economic impact, leaving huge numbers of people fearing for their future. However, the situation could have been far worse if it were not for the government’s Emergency Wage Subsidy scheme which supported up to 75% of wage subsidy to eligible employers and in turn, allowed many to keep their jobs in the suffering Travel & Tourism sector.
“After a slow start, there are now grounds for optimism as Canada’s vaccine rollout has just surpassed 24 million shots administered, and vaccine uptake is ever increasing.
Messina said the WTTC also believes that if the vaccine rollout picks up pace, and restrictions for travel internationally are relaxed before the busy summer season, along with the introduction of a clear roadmap for increased mobility that includes comprehensive testing on departure, that the 373,000 jobs lost in Canada could return this year.
“However, the government’s move to protect jobs is simply not sustainable in the long-term,” she added. “We know tens of thousands of SMEs, which make up the bulk of the ailing Travel & Tourism sector, are still fighting for their survival, putting at risk the capacity of the country to recover from the crushing impact of COVID-19.
“WTTC believes that another year of terrible losses can be avoided if the government supports the swift resumption of international travel, which will be vital to powering the turnaround of the Canadian economy.”
WTTC says the key to unlocking safe international travel can be achieved through a clear and science-based framework to reopen international travel. It believes that all non-vaccinated travellers should face a comprehensive testing regime before departure, as well as enhanced health and hygiene protocols, including mandatory mask wearing, and that such measures would be the foundation to build the recovery of the many millions of jobs lost due to the pandemic.