Travel, tourism see robust growth in 2012: report

The growth in world travel and tourism was robust in 2012 despite many economic challenges, a report released by the Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said here Tuesday.

According to the report, the total contribution of the travel and tourism to the global GDP in 2012 was 6.6 trillion U.S. dollars, including 760 billion dollars in investment and 1.2 trillion dollars in exports, accounting for 9.3 percent of the total.

Meanwhile, the travel and tourism created 260 million jobs, presenting 9 percent of the global employment.

"Despite many economic difficulties last year, we saw, for the first time, more than one billion international travelers cross an international border," said David Scowsill, president and CEO of WTTC, adding "This industry is an important driver for countries' economic development and growth strategies."

"It is clear that the industry is going to be a significant driver of global growth and employment for the next decade," he added.