SERVICES
Tourism and travel-related services Nearly all WTO members emphasize the importance of tourism, especially in terms of its contribution to employment and generating foreign exchange. Typically one of the most dynamic economic sectors, tourism-related services are labour-intensive, with numerous links to other major segments of the economy. Tourism and travel-related services includes services provided by hotels and restaurants (including catering), travel agencies and tour operator services, tourist guide services and other related services. One of the most crucial aspects of international tourism is the cross-border movement of consumers. This permits even unskilled workers in remote areas to become services exporters — for instance, by selling craft items, performing in cultural shows, or working in a tourism lodge. Developments in the sector According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals reached 903 million in 2007, up 6.6 per cent on 2006. Earnings reached a record US$ 856 billion, increasing in real terms by 5.6 per cent over 2006. Receipts from international passenger transport (i.e. visitor exports) were estimated at US$ 165 billion, bringing the total international tourism receipts to over US$ 1 trillion, corresponding to almost US$ 3 billion a day. While back in 1950, the top 15 destinations absorbed 98 per cent of all international tourist arrivals, in 1970 the proportion was 75 per cent, and this fell to 57 per cent in 2007, reflecting the emergence of new destinations, many of them in developing countries.
