A staggering one million jobs are being lost every day in the travel and tourism sector due to the sweeping effect of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

According to the London-based international organisation, which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, the growing job losses are affecting every level of the industry and are gathering pace, as countries go into lockdown to tackle the virus.

It says the vast closure of hotels, suspension of the majority of international and domestic airline flights, cessation of cruise lines and growing global travel bans are having a catastrophic ‘domino effect’ hitting huge numbers of suppliers worldwide. Small and medium sized businesses at every level within the industry, such as tour operators, travel agents and sole traders, are especially vulnerable.

The organisation, which is already in talks with over 75 governments around the world, has called for countries to urgently do more to intervene to make clearer how businesses can access potentially life-saving loans, and tax breaks, to prevent them from imminent collapse.

Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of WTTC said: “While the priority for governments is to keep people safe, this global health catastrophe means a million people a day in the travel and tourism industry alone are losing their jobs and facing potential ruin due to the disastrous impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The relentless cascade of job losses is plunging millions of families into terrible hardship and debt, fearful of how to buy food and pay their bills. The domino effect of Covid-19 is right now having a massive impact, wiping out an entire economic sector.”

Earlier last week, WTTC announced three-point plan for governments to take to combat the devastating effect of Covid-19.