that is not the high-end estimates. This is one said 6.9 million. And I will give it more room, let's say 10 million jobs cost by SARS. Finally we have a "real" scapegoat for all the economic problems on this planet.<g>
SARS 'to hit 6.9 million jobs'
Friday 16 May 2003, 8:05 AM
SARS fears have deepened the global travel industry's troubles and, coupled with broad economic gloom, will bring the loss of 6.9 million tourism jobs this year, according to forecasts by the World Travel and Tourism Council.
The non-profit group, which represents about 1000 businesses worldwide, said in a report published that the scale of the SARS crisis was "unprecedented".
"SARS has compounded the downturn in the travel and tourism industry," WTTC vice-president Richard Miller said.
"We've reached the bottom in the travel and tourism industry. The question is, how long will it take to recover," he said.
The impact of the SARS crisis on tourism will be five times greater than the effects of the September 11 attacks in the United States, according to Miller.
The crisis in Asian countries "is perhaps the most dramatic prolonged shutdown of the (tourism) industry on record", Miller said.
Business there would likely return to normal only in 2005, he said.
The WTTC said it expected 2.8 million jobs to be lost in China, equivalent to one-fifth of the country's tourism jobs. SARS has killed 271 people on China's mainland, the world's highest death toll, and infected more than 5100.
The estimate was based on the SARS lasting six months from March.
Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam also would be severely affected by the SARS crisis, the group said.
Jobs would be lost from companies involved directly and indirectly in the travel industry.
The group estimates the travel industry accounts for nearly 200 million jobs worldwide and more than 10 per cent of world gross domestic product.
Prospects for recovery of the travel industry, which is in a deep slump after 18 months of difficulties, are uncertain, Miller told the WTTC's global summit at this vacation resort in southern Portugal.
Terrorism fears and the Iraq war had already sent business reeling.
Miller said falling interest rates, expected lower oil prices, as well as the prospect of tax cuts and continuing productivity growth in the United States were positive signs for the future, though it was hard to say when those factors might kick in.
©2003 AP
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