by Bert Archer
Last updated: 3:50 PM ET, Wed October 1, 2025
Meeting in Rome for its 25th Global Summit, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) released a report warning that despite historic growth, the sector could face a shortage of more than 43 million workers by 2035.
The study, Future of the Travel & Tourism Workforce, draws on research across 20 economies, combining surveys of business leaders with in-depth interviews. It notes that the industry supported 357 million jobs in 2024, a record, and is expected to add another 91 million over the next decade — accounting for one in three new jobs created worldwide.
Demand, however, is set to outpace supply. The shortfall would leave global labour availability 16 percent below required levels. The hospitality industry alone could lack 8.6 million workers, while low-skilled positions — vital roles that cannot easily be automated — would remain hardest to fill. China (16.9 million), India (11 million) and the European Union (6.4 million) are projected to face the largest absolute deficits. In relative terms, Japan’s workforce is expected to fall 29 per cent below demand, followed by Greece (27 per cent) and Germany (26 per cent).
Though Canada was not listed individually in terms of jobs, overall contribution of travel and tourism to GDP is projected to rise from $163.44 billion in 2024 to $177.14 billion in 2025.
“Travel & Tourism is set to remain one of the world’s biggest job creators, offering opportunities for millions of people worldwide. But we must also recognise that wider demographic and structural changes are reshaping labour markets everywhere,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC’s interim chief executive.
The report urges action to attract young people by showcasing career diversity, strengthen links between education and industry, invest in digital and sustainable skills, and rethink immigration and retention policies.
“By 2035, one in three new jobs will come from Travel & Tourism – no other sector can claim that,” said Saudi Arabia’s Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb, whose government backed the report.
Whether governments, employers and educators can align to turn this pressure into opportunity remains uncertain.
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