Tourexpi
Endorsed
at the 56th session of the UN Statistical Commission, this landmark decision
means that—for the first time—global data on tourism employment will be
systematically monitored within the SDG monitoring process. It also increases
the number of official tourism SDG indicators from two to three, raising
recognition of the sector’s global contribution to economic and social
progress.
What
gets measured, gets done. As part of Goal 8, we strive for sustainable tourism
that creates jobs. The new tourism employment indicator goes beyond GDP to
enhance our understanding of tourism’s potential for social progress
UN
Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “What gets measured, gets
done. As part of Goal 8, we strive for sustainable tourism that creates jobs.
The new tourism employment indicator goes beyond GDP to enhance our
understanding of tourism’s potential for social progress. Policymakers will be
better equipped to identify gaps, address inequalities, and maximize tourism’s
social and economic benefits—ensuring no one is left behind.”
UN
Tourism’s most recent survey of Member States’ priorities revealed a strong
preference for the Organization to work towards ensuring tourism contributes to
the achievement of the SDGs. The new indicator, with UN Tourism as its
custodian, delivers the evidence to advance on this priority.
Strengthening
tourism’s role in global development
The
indicator responds to a critical policy issue in many countries. Together with
the existing SDG indicator on tourism’s GDP, the new indicator offers a broader
perspective on tourism’s sustainability that better considers social progress.
With
this recognition, tourism employment will now be officially integrated into the
deliberations of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on
Sustainable Development, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals Report.
The data will be available on the SDG Global Database, as well as on the UN
Tourism Statistics Database website.
The
indicator was jointly advanced under the leadership of Austria, Spain, Saudi
Arabia, CARICOM, ILO and UN Tourism. It is fruit of extensive research and
development through consultative and intergovernmental processes over several
years. The inclusion of the tourism employment indicator is one of three new
indicators endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission as part the second, and
last, SDG Indicator Framework review within the 2030 Agenda’s time horizon.
Thanks
to a partnership between UN Tourism and ILO, the new indicator leverages on
both organization’s data reporting mechanisms, maximizing prior statistical
investments at national and international levels, while minimizing reporting
burden on countries.
Tourism
represents 5,6% of total number of persons employed
Between
2015 and 2023, tourism accounted for 5.6% of global employment. In 2023 alone,
127 million persons were employed in tourism worldwide, based on data reported
by 89 countries and comprising 68% of the world population.
Tourism
offers employment and income opportunities in developed and developing
countries alike, even in remote areas. Tourism plays a particularly crucial
role in employment in the ‘Small Island Developing States’ (SIDS), where on
average it accounted for 12.9% of the total number of employed persons.
The
new indicator, derived from the Statistical Framework for Measuring the
Sustainability of Tourism, tracks all persons of working age with paid
employment and self-employment. It can be expressed as a share of total
employed persons and can be disaggregated by male/female,
employee/self-employed, and by the 10 tourism industries. This enables a
comprehensive measurement of the number of persons employed in the tourism
sector in each country, as well worldwide.
About
the UN Statistical Commission
The
UN Statistical Commission is the highest body of the global statistical system,
bringing together heads of National Statistical Institutes from UN member
states as well as international organizations. It sets statistical standards
and develops concepts and methods, including their implementation at the
national and international level.
Image
Credit: © UN Tourism
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