Travel Industry, News and Analytics

2020 was the Worst Year in the History of Tourism According to UNWTO

The latest report by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) underlines that 2020 was the worst year for global tourism on record. The international arrivals suffered an unprecedented decline of 74%. The newest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer estimated the total loss that the coronavirus pandemic caused to international tourism. The figure is truly mind-blowing – US$1.3 trillion, which is 11 times more than the loss caused by the global crisis in 2009. Tourism is one of the major job providers in many countries, and so from 100 to 120 million people around the world are at risk of losing their jobs today.

To keep the pandemic under control, most countries have to implement certain limitations and travel restrictions. Complete closure of borders, mandatory COVID-19 tests and quarantines make it even harder for tourism-related businesses to recover. Global vaccination is the only way to reopen borders and restore consumer confidence, making people willing to travel again. Today, everyone hopes that travel restrictions will be eased and life will slowly get back to normal in 2021.

Even hotels in Bangkok, Paris, London, New York, and other large gateway cities couldn’t maintain their occupancy in 2020. Although most countries have already started vaccination campaigns, it is too early to say that the crisis is over. Countries also need to add certain measures to make traveling safer such as testing, tracing of sick people, vaccination passports, and so on.

The Panel of Experts in UNWTO expressed their mixed thoughts regarding the recovery of international tourism in 2021. A bit less than half of the respondents (45%) think that 2021 will be better than last year, a quarter of the respondents say that the performance will be similar, and one-third expect even a more difficult year. Overall, experts are less optimistic about the recovery in 2021 now. In October 2020, only 20% of the respondents were expecting the recovery to start in 2022 while 79% were sure that the recovery would start in 2021. Nowadays, half of the respondents expect the recovery to start next year.

When tourism finally starts to recover, UNWTO expects domestic tourism to “wake up” first, as well as outdoor and nature-based activities. As of now, Europe is the most affected region when it comes to a drop in tourism. The decrease in arrivals reached 70% in 2020 or 500 million fewer international guests.

Individual City Guides

Davos travel guide

Davos is an internationally famous Swiss ski resort. The town is widely recognized as one of the best mountains resorts in the world. For more than 50 years, fans of skiing from all over the world have been charmed by this gorgeous place. Davos is also a frequent location for various sports competitions. The resort has a well-developed tourist and sports infrastructure. It’s also important to mention that there are several premium wellness centers in the town. A vacation in Davos will be … Read further

Cuisine of Besancon

Besancon will pleasantly surprise culinary experts with a choice of restaurants, bars, and cafes. It is easy to find dining venues specializing in different cuisines of the world in the city. Many restaurants in Besancon offer quite exotic food, so there’s no wonder why they are so popular with gourmet visitors. Brasserie 1802 is one of the best dining venues for tourists who want to try a classical version of the national cuisine. This is an incredibly romantic and cozy place with live music … Read further

Traditions and festivals in Waalwijk

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Aachen cultural sights

Perhaps, beautiful cathedrals and churches remain the main attractions of the city. There are 27 religious places of interest in total in Aachen. Aachener Dom Cathedral is the most notable of them. This is a beautiful Gothic building, in which were crowned German emperors. Cathedral of St. Mary is a no less remarkable place. The church was built in the end of the 19th century. The local synagogue is an outstanding architectural monument, which is built in the Moorish style. One more important … Read further

Colorado attractions and entertainment

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Isla Margarita for families and kids

If you are planning a trip to Margarita with the whole family, you will not be disappointed. Conditions for holiday with children of any age are quite comfortable here. There are several parks on the island. You should visit them. Diverland is among them. This amusement park is famous for its roller coasters and Ferris wheel. It is the highest in Latin America. You will find attractions for both toddlers and older children here. These are various carousels, trampolines, inflatable slides, and … Read further

Shopping in Guadalajara

There are many stores in Guadalajara where clothes and shoes of excellent quality can be purchased at great discounts. A perfect example is Acuario footwear store, where Mustang brand loafers will cost about 30 euros. For a similar price, ladies will choose a new pair of Pavana shoes. However, they also sell more expensive models of shoes. You can purchase footwear with great discounts during periods of sale. The city has an original Dekko Woman store which will certainly impress women. It … Read further

Extreme and fun in Gdansk

Gdansk is a popular tourist city where it’s not so easy to find streets or places free from walking tourists. If you have long had a desire to diversify walking around the city and sightseeing with something non-standard, go on a tour of the post office. To be more precise, to the post office No. 50 ( Urząd Pocztowy 50 ), which is located on the Royal Way near Gdansk Glowny station. This outwardly unremarkable post office keeps a lot of secrets. The ceiling here is made of translucent … Read further