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Trade and investment<br />
Recent new barriers to travel need<br />
to be overcome<br />
Tourism and security need greater<br />
integration and coordination<br />
INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS PER YEAR<br />
1950<br />
25M<br />
1970<br />
700M<br />
2015<br />
1.2 BN<br />
TOURISM<br />
AND SECURITY<br />
A resilient sector that promotes peace and understanding,<br />
tourism must be protected, writes Taleb Rifai<br />
The world has experienced a travel<br />
revolution in recent years. The tourism<br />
sector has expanded from 25 million<br />
international tourist arrivals in 1950 to 700<br />
million in 2000 and more than one billion<br />
for the first time in 2012. In 2015, this grew to nearly<br />
1.2 billion. Another six billion people are estimated to<br />
have travelled within their own countries last year.<br />
In the process, tourism has become one of the<br />
leading economic sectors of our time. It now accounts<br />
for nearly 10 per cent of the world’s gross domestic<br />
product and seven per cent of global exports,<br />
employing directly or indirectly one in 11 people across<br />
the globe.<br />
Beyond its positive economic contribution, tourism<br />
is a pillar of peace and multicultural understanding.<br />
In today’s globalised world, people are travelling more<br />
widely and encountering more cultures than ever before.<br />
These encounters spark connections that contribute<br />
to establishing and fostering tolerance and respect<br />
among peoples, communities and countries. In a world<br />
of increasing discord, these connections are sacred<br />
opportunities to create more inclusive, peaceful and<br />
equitable societies.<br />
While tourism contributes to peace, it also needs<br />
peace and stability to continue to flourish. Sadly, in<br />
recent times, the tourism sector has had its fair share of<br />
crises including terrorism, natural disasters, pandemics<br />
and geopolitical challenges. This has contributed to<br />
safety and security becoming top priorities on the<br />
agendas of all countries around the world.<br />
Ensuring safe travel<br />
At the global level, tourism has proven its resilience in<br />
the face of such challenges, continuing to grow above<br />
average year after year. At a destination level, →<br />
G7<strong>G20</strong>.com September 2016 • <strong>G20</strong> China: The Hangzhou Summit 177
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