TRAVEL & TOURISM GLOBAL ECONOMIC IMPACT & ISSUES 2017 FOREWORD For over 25 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has been quantifying the economic and employment impact of Travel & Tourism. The 2017 Annual Economic Reports cover 185 countries and 26 regions of the world, providing the necessary data on 2016 performance as well as unique ten year forecasts on the sector’s future potential. Travel & Tourism: Global Economic Impact and Issues 2017 has a di?erent style this year, building on the ?agship economic impact research which shows the breadth of the data available, to give more insights behind the numbers and to provide a fascinating view of Travel & Tourism now and into the future. CONTENTS Despite the increasing and unpredictable shocks from terrorist attacks, political instability, health pandemics, and natural disasters, Travel & Tourism continued to show resilience in 2016. For the sixth successive year, growth in the sector outpaced that of the global economy. The outlook for business and leisure travel in 2017 remains robust. Over the longer term, growth of the Travel & Tourism sector will continue to be strong, as long as governments continue to invest in the necessary infrastructure. GLOBAL OUTLOOK 1 The top numbers on the global contribution of Travel & Tourism, today and into the future. The United Nations has designated 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Travel & Tourism creates jobs, drives exports, and generates prosperity across the world. The International Year provides an enormous