Cities remain the powerhouses of global tourism and will drive the recovery of the sector and economies around the word, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Major cities were popular travel destinations prior to the pandemic, accounting for almost half of all international visits, both as standalone destinations and as gateways to other places within countries.
But Covid-19 had a devastating impact on travel and tourism and in particular major cities around the world as countries closed their borders in response.
Thousands of hotels, restaurants, and attractions in cities around the world were forced to close, with people losing their jobs.
Leisure travellers swapped major metropolises for less-populated destinations such as coastal and rural points as borders began to reopen, leaving economies of international cities to battle through a tough three years.
A new analysis of 82 international cities unveiled at the WTTC global summit in Riyadh shows how both holidaymakers and business travellers are now returning to cities.
Ten of the cities analysed are projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in terms of direct travel and tourism GDP contribution to economies this year.
World Cup host city Doha in Qatar is forecast to see the largest increase from 2019 to 2022 in terms of international traveller spend as well as in direct contribution to the city’s GDP, with an expected increase of 21%.
Warsaw is expected to see a 14% rise this year over 2019 in travel and tourism’s contribution to the city’s GDP, while Orlando is projected to see a 10% increase.
The sector will directly generate up to 8% of all jobs in the 82 cities analysed by 2023, up from 6.6% in 2019 and a low of 5.1% in 2020.
WTTC president and chief executive Julia Simpson said: “Our report clearly shows that for millions of tourists around the world, major cities remain iconic global destinations.
“There’s still a strong appetite to experience the history, culture, and energy that cities offer travellers.
“Before the pandemic, cities were powerhouses for international tourists, serving as standalone destinations and as gateways to other tourist destinations within countries.
“This year cities are recovering around the world, and we forecast that cities will continue to grow and thrive over the next decade.”
Jeni Mundy, head of global merchant sales and acquiring at report sponsor Visa, added: “Even after the colossal challenges the pandemic brought to the travel industry, the economic benefit of tourism to cities remains strong.
“Consumers’ willingness to adopt digital-first travel experiences will help pave the way for even more innovations in the future.”