WTTC Chief: Tourism Set to Create Over 17,000 Jobs in Greece this Year
The Greek travel and tourism industry is back on track fast approaching pre-Covid 2019 levels and set to create more than 17,000 jobs this year, reaching the 2019 peak of 820,000 employed by the sector, said World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) President & CEO Julia Simpson.
“The future for the sector in Greece is optimistic. By the end of this year, the sector’s contribution will be almost back to 2019 levels. Over the next decade, growth will outstrip the national economy growth rate and create thousands of new jobs,” said Simpson.
The news comes on the back of Simpson’s exclusive interview to GTP Headlines in which she said the country’s travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute 39.2 billion euros to the Greek economy by the end of 2023, just 4 percent behind the 2019 pre-pandemic high of 40.8 billion euros.
Citing WTTC’s 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) data, Simpson goes on to add that in 2022 the sector’s contribution to GDP grew by 38.2 percent to reach nearly 38 billion euros representing 18.5 percent of the Greek economy while creating 5,000 more jobs, compared to the previous year, reaching nearly 800,000 jobs across Greece.
According to the WTTC report, the Greek tourism sector has recouped 82 percent of the jobs lost during the pandemic.
Key source markets for Greece in 2022 were the UK (14 percent), Germany (14 percent), and Bulgaria (10 percent). In the same year, international visitors to Greece generated 19.1 billion euros, representing a year-on-year growth of more than 56 percent.
“The travel and tourism sector is very important in Greece, representing more than 19 percent of the economy. Tourism is recovering strongly with high visitor demand. Greece is one of Europe’s most popular destinations, and the data clearly shows travelers are heading back in their droves. Greece took a leadership position during the pandemic,” said Simpson.
Looking ahead, the WTTC is forecasting that the sector will grow its GDP contribution to 57.2 billion euros by 2033, representing nearly a quarter (23.6 percent) of the Greek economy.
Over the next 10 years, Greece’s travel and tourism industry could employ more than 1,02 million people, or one in four jobs.
Overall in Europe in 2022, tourism contributed 1.9 trillion euros to the regional economy, just 7 percent below the 2019 peak and employed 34.7 million people, up by 2.9 million from the previous year, but still 3.2 million behind the 2019 peak. WTTC forecasts the sector will fully recover the jobs lost during the pandemic by the end of 2024.
Pay peanuts get monkeys. Hotel workers need to be treated with respect, as they are what keeps people returning to Greece. Higher wages, lovable accommodation and the very least 5 months unemployment. Greece is well over its crisis and can afford to treat the backbone of the country with respect