Travel and Tourism: A force for good in the World

Travel & Tourism is one of the world's great industrial sectors. It drives economic growth, creates jobs, improves social development and promotes peace. Hundreds of millions of people around the world are dependent on the sector for their employment. In some island economies, Travel & Tourism is not just the biggest employer, it is effectively the only employer. Our role in contributing to the creation of sustainable economies and as a transformative force for improving millions of lives was recognised by the United Nations, which designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. When properly managed, Travel & Tourism is undoubtedly a force for good in the world.

Travel & Tourism is a diverse sector consisting of millions of companies and employers - from the biggest global travel brands to the smallest tour operator or hostel owner. Together we form a formidable force with a voice to be heard at the highest levels of society and government.

Uniting Travel represents the major global Travel & Tourism organisations, and supports the sector in speaking with 'One Voice' on the most important issues. Formed in 2012 as the Global Travel Association Coalition, our role is to align communications, advocacy and action to leverage the power of the sector so that Travel & Tourism is recognised as a driver of sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development. With this in mind, we are proud to present our first publication in a series, Travel & Tourism - A Force for Good in the World, which focuses on the sector's global economic impact. An upcoming report to be released in the summer of 2018 will look at Travel & Tourism for a more sustainable world.

We hope that this compilation of research on the benefits of Travel & Tourism is a useful resource for the members of Uniting Travel, their members, and any other parties interested in the powerful and positive impact of the Travel & Tourism sector and its related industries, including aviation, cruise, hotels and resorts, and car rental. Travel & Tourism - A Force for Good in the World aims to provide an overview of the benefits that the sector yields, while breaking it down by industry and bringing together the key facts and figures in one document.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our members including, Airports Council International, Cruise Lines International Association, International Air Transport Association, International Civil Aviation Organization, Pacific Asia Travel Association, World Tourism Organization, World Economic Forum and World Travel & Tourism Council, for their engagement and support. We would also like to thank STR Global for the provision of data on the hotels market. In particular, we would like to thank Ms Gloria Guevara, Chair of Uniting Travel, for her invaluable guidance and vision.