Young people employed in the travel and tourism sector were among the most impacted individuals during the global pandemic, everywhere in the world except a handful of countries including Qatar and the UAE.
A newly released Social Trends in Travel & Tourism Employment report, found that the industry’s youngest workers (between 15 and 24 years) were more affected than any other age group between 2019 and 2022. The report compiled by The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism attributed the career impact on young people to their extensive role in the hospitality industry which was the most affected during the lockdown years.
In terms of numbers, the travel and tourism sector directly employed 19 million young workers in 2019, 15% more than the 16.1 million in 2022.
Although youth employment is still in the recovery phase with an 11% annual rise in 2022, there were some countries that experienced growth in direct youth employment within the travel and tourism sector between 2019 and 2022. Those included Qatar and the UAE and could be attributed to the two destinations avoiding major lockdowns and maintaining tourism operations.
Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, the report found that despite a drop in youth employment during the pandemic years, the number of young workers directly employed in travel and tourism was 71% higher than in 2010 as opposed to 30% higher for youth employment in the wider economy. This is likely a result of the Kingdom’s extraordinary investment in the sector to meet its 2030 goal of 100 million visitors annually, which has opened new opportunities for young Saudis. This year alone, Saudi invested $100 million to help citizens develop tourism-specific skills.
“The world is getting back to travel, and the growth opportunities are enormous,” said Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism. “Travel and Tourism is a major contributor to the global economy, with the industry on pace to expand $15 trillion of the global GDP by 2034.”
“A fundamental pillar of Vision 2030, tourism plays an increasingly important role for Saudi Arabia and its people. Just five years after the launch of our first-ever international tourist visa, we celebrated our 100 millionth traveller, a key goal of Vision 2030 achieved seven years ahead of schedule.
“This remarkable feat was achieved through careful investment in infrastructure, destinations, heritage sites, and the protection of our natural wonders. But above all, it was made possible by investing in people.”
