According to a recent forecast by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism will play a key role in the economic and social life of the European Union over the next decade. According to the organisation’s economic impact assessment, the sector will create 4.5 million new jobs by 2035, supporting more than 30 million jobs, representing one in seven jobs in Europe.
Tourism’s contribution to GDP will increase to €2.3 billion and its economic weight will reach nearly 11%. The sector will generate more than €900 billion in tax revenues for EU governments each year, further strengthening its strategic importance in the EU economy.
International visitor spending is also set to grow dynamically, reaching €730 billion by 2035, while domestic tourism revenues will exceed €1.2 billion. By 2025, the sector will contribute nearly €1.9 billion to the region’s GDP, accounting for more than 10% of the EU economy.
The WTTC highlighted the appointment of Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas as the new EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, a milestone in the recognition of the sector at EU level. The strategic importance of the sector and its future is demonstrated by the fact that for the first time the EU is giving tourism a specific portfolio.
The WTTC predicts that EU tourism and travel will become not only an economic engine but also a pillar of sustainable development and social well-being in the next decade if the sector is successfully promoted through appropriate policy support and investment (Breaking Travel News).