Trends and Issues in Hospitality and Tourism

Abstract

Tourism is one of the most important and competitive economic sectors in the world. According to United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) (2016), the tourism industry contributes nine percent of the world’s GDP, provides one out of eleven jobs, and accounts for 1.5 trillion US dollars in exports. The UNWTO projects continued growth in the number of international tourists rising to 1.8 billion in 2030, which would be an increase of 3.3 percent from compared to 2010. The UNWTO (2015) also predicts a 4.4 per cent annual rise in arrivals to emerging destinations which included Sri Lanka which is twice the rate of the percentage in advanced economies (2.2 percent a year). In addition, the market share of emerging economies will increase and is expected to reach 57 percent by 2030, equivalent to over 1 billion international tourist arrivals.