World travel may shrink 25 per cent on coronavirus

The coronavirus epidemic is putting up to 50 million jobs in the global travel and tourism sector at risk, with travel likely to slump by a quarter this year, Asia being the most affected continent, the World Travel and Tourism Council said yesterday.

This impact would depend on how long the epidemic lasts and could still be exacerbated by recent restrictive measures, such as those taken by the US administration on travel to Europe, WTTC’s managing director Virginia Messina told Reuters.