Tourism Helps Developing Nations Fight Back Poverty, UN Says

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) observed World Tourism Day on September 27 and highlighted the role of the tourism industry in combating poverty in developing countries.

“Tourism is now well recognized as one of the key ways to bring wealth and experience from the richest to the poorest countries,” UNWTO Secretary General Francesco Frangialli said.

Tourism industry has grown tremendously in forty-nine poorest countries in the past decade, at a rate six times more than that of its growth in Europe, he said adding that, “It is bigger than automobile, agriculture or electronics industry.”

Speaking at the occasion he said that tourism generates $800 billion a year, a lump sum that will more than double by 2020.

Not only this, it creates millions of jobs, by boosting the growth of transport and communications, hotel industry and travel firms, he added.

Tourism represents 40 percent of global service trade and 6 percent of total world trade.