This fast-paced industry may impact your life more than you think

What’s the first thing that comes to mind on a Friday afternoon? If you’re like most people, it’s probably the excitement of having time off work to spend with family and friends. Call me crazy, but in addition to time off work, I also look forward to the weekend crowd of vacationers and business travelers. In fact, I’m — dare I say — thankful for their presence. How could this be? First and foremost, I’m a native of Las Vegas, Nevada, where my family has been personally involved with the city’s tourism industry for decades. Second, the travel and tourism industry has had a tremendous impact on the global economy, and the numbers to support this are quite impressive.

Since the beginning of the economic recovery in March 2011, the travel industry alone has added jobs at a faster pace than the entire U.S. economy — 26% faster, to be exact (U.S. Travel Association). In addition, the industry is forecasted to account for 1 in 13 jobs in the United Kingdom by the end of 2012. That’s approximately 2.3 million jobs, which is also at a faster pace than the wider U.K. economy (World Travel & Tourism Council).

Last but certainly not least, the industry’s direct contribution to the global economy is expected to surpass US$2 trillion dollars and generate over 100 million jobs by the end of 2012. The Global Travel Industry News best puts this into perspective by comparing it to other large scale global industries — 100 million jobs is equal to:

• 6 times the amount of jobs in the automotive manufacturing industry
• 5 times the amount of jobs in the global chemicals industry
• 4 times the amount of jobs in the global mining industry
• 2 times the amount of jobs in the global communications industry
• And 1.33 times the amount of jobs in the global financial services industry

Beyond the impressive numbers, my own personal experience is that the travel industry is also an enjoyable one to be a part of. Not only was I born and raised in one of the hottest travel destinations in the world, but I’ve also continued to make traveling a major part of my life. My decision to pursue an undergraduate degree at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas exposed me to the true purpose of travel, which is connecting with others — or in my case, the joy of returning home into the arms of loved ones. Furthermore, I’ve had the privilege of starting my career in the travel industry by joining the Sabre team. I’m only 7 weeks into the job, and I have nothing but exciting adventures ahead of me — all in the name of travel.

This prosperous industry has impacted your life in one way or another — either in your career, your personal life, or like me, maybe even both. Nonetheless, it has most certainly impacted all of our pocketbooks, stimulating the global economy like no other industry has been able to do.

Thank you, tourists. Travel on.

Sources:
U.S. Travel Association
World Travel & Tourism Council
Global Travel Industry News