Travel and tourism accounts for some 10% of global GDP and one in 10 jobs, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, an industry group. The situation is also dire in Europe, which boasts half the world's international tourist arrivals. The World Travel and Tourism Council is working with governments and travel organizations to agree on standardized health checks and cleaning protocols. "This is by far the worst crisis that international tourism has faced since records began [in 1950]," the UN body said in a statement last week. Chinese tourists spend most on world travel, accounting for one fifth of international tourism spending in 2018, or $277 billion, according to the World Tourism Organization.

Source: CNN May 13, 2020 08:09 UTC