Die ökonomische Kraft des Tourismus

 India has seen its tourist arrivals drop in recent months for the first time since 2002 when it launched its hugely successful "Incredible India" campaign that enticed millions of well-heeled tourists from around the world to explore the wonders of India.

Winter is peak season, but this year business has been slow and hotels are struggling to fill empty rooms due to mass cancellations by foreign tourists. All sectors have been hit, from pricey tours of Rajasthan, to budget beach holidays in Goa.
Tourism contributes more than 6% to India's GDP of $1 trillion, and employs 53 million people directly or indirectly. Foreign tourist arrivals to India dropped 12% to 522,000 in December, compared to 596,560 in the same month in 2007.


 

 In a few days the G20 leaders will be meeting in London to begin the process of advancing solutions for the global economic downturn. Unfortunately in discussing the range of actions needed to counter the threat of a recession, tourism appears to be fairly low on the agenda. Some governments, notably the USA, Britain, Japan China and Australia have already introduced stimulus packages to shore up banks and financial institutions and vital industries. The jury is still out on whether these measures will actually kick-start the economies of these countries in a matter which will flow on globally. A core element of the current downturn is that trade is down.

   Tourism is NOT the World's Largest Industry - So Stop Saying It Is!
It is the end of the semester and I am marking term papers. Few things drive me more crazy in doing this than coming across quoted and cited claims that tourism is the world's largest industry. Tourism is NOT the world's largest industry.

Tourism actually ranks about 6th in international trade, after trade in fossil fuels, telecommunications and computer equipment, automotive products, and agriculture (based on World Trade Organization data). It is just slightly smaller than agriculture, and given the fuzziness of all numbers of this kind, tourism at best might be 5th, just ahead of agriculture.

Das BBC Karibik-Programm thematisiert die einseitige Abhängigkeit von Volkswirtschaften vom Tourismus und die Konsequenzen während der internationalen Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise.

Is tourism the answer? 
 

16 December, 2008 - Published 19:49 GMT BBC Caribbean

The winter tourist season is a key revenue earning period for many Caribbean countries which rely heavily on tourism.

But the global financial slowdown is threatening to put a damper on the 2008/2009 peak season. 

Many hotels are offering special packages to tourists and in return, they are demanding relief measures from governments, some of which are being considered. 

Already there have been lay-offs in the sector and more are expected.

From the Bahamas to Barbados, across the Caribbean governments are grappling with how best the 'save the season'.

BBC Caribbean's indepth report on the tourism industry coinciding with the start of the peak winter season - December 15
 

• Have too many countries in the region become too dependent on tourism
• Who really controls the Caribbean's tourism industry
• What other industry should the Caribbean consider
• Is it too late to change