Why tourism?

Tourism, economic and social phenomenon

Over the decades, tourism has experienced continued growth and has diversified more and more to the point of becoming one of the economic sectors in the world's fastest growing. Modern tourism is closely linked to development and includes a growing number of new destinations. This dynamic is a key driver of socioeconomic progress.

Today, the business volume of tourism equals or exceeds that of petroleum, food and automotive. Tourism is now a major player in international trade and, at the same time, it is a major source of income for many developing countries. This growth is consistent with the emphasis on diversification and competition among destinations.

The general expansion of tourism in industrialized and developed countries has economic benefits and create jobs in many sectors related thereto, from agriculture to telecommunications through the building.

Tourism's contribution to the economic well-being depends on the quality and revenues of the tourism offer. UNWTO offers assistance to destinations that are positioned permanently on the national and international markets that increasingly complex. As the UN agency dedicated to tourism, it emphasizes that especially developing countries should benefit from sustainable tourism and intervenes to help translate this opportunity into reality.