Photo of a hotel worker making bed.

Hotels, catering and tourism sector

Portrait of Abdulrahman. Upon completing the Reservation and Reception Course under the “Opportunities for Lives Project” run by ILO Turkey Office, their employer obtained work permit for them and they started to work at the hotel. © Berke Araklı /ILO

The tourism sector is a major driver of economic growth, enterprise development and job creation, particularly for women, youth, migrant workers and local communities. In recent decades, it has experienced continued expansion and diversification to become one of the largest, most dynamic, and in many countries, resilient sectors of the global economy. In 2019, tourism accounted, directly and indirectly, for one in ten jobs worldwide and 10.4 per cent of global GDP. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises represent the majority share of the industry and its workers.

However, although differences between regions exist, the sector continues to face decent work deficits, such as the prevalence of informality, variable and long working hours, low wages, limited access to social protection, gender-based discrimination, poor occupational safety and health practices and weak regulation, enforcement and organization of labour. In some cases tourism is also affected by the lack of an enabling environment for sustainable enterprise development, insufficient and inadequately skilled workforce and productivity challenges.

Resources

ILO guidelines on decent work and socially responsible tourism
Cover page of the ILO guidelines on decent and socially responsible tourism

Guidelines

ILO guidelines on decent work and socially responsible tourism

Reducing poverty and advancing social justice in rural areas through decent jobs in tourism
Tourists on a small river boat in Nepal

E-learning module

Reducing poverty and advancing social justice in rural areas through decent jobs in tourism

Tools

Sectoral Studies on Decent Work in Global Supply Chains

Publication

Sectoral Studies on Decent Work in Global Supply Chains

Economic Diversification of the Rural Economy

Policy guidance note

Economic Diversification of the Rural Economy

Sustainable Tourism – A Catalyst for Inclusive Socio-economic Development and Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas

Policy guidance note

Sustainable Tourism – A Catalyst for Inclusive Socio-economic Development and Poverty Reduction in Rural Areas

HIV and AIDS: Guide for the tourism sector

Guide

HIV and AIDS: Guide for the tourism sector

Events

Technical meeting on COVID-19 and sustainable recovery in the tourism sector

Technical meeting on COVID-19 and sustainable recovery in the tourism sector

Meeting of Experts to adopt Guidelines on Decent Work and Socially Responsible Tourism

Meeting of Experts to adopt Guidelines on Decent Work and Socially Responsible Tourism

Experts Validation Workshop on the Toolkit on Tourism and Poverty Reduction

Experts Validation Workshop on the Toolkit on Tourism and Poverty Reduction

News

More than 4 million women have not been able to return to work in Latin America and the Caribbean
An african american business woman with baby working at home

International Women's Day

More than 4 million women have not been able to return to work in Latin America and the Caribbean

12th Academy on Social and Solidarity Economy - Elective 3: SSE, just transition to climate-neutral and circular economy: innovative ways...
Placeholder image

12th Academy on Social and Solidarity Economy - Elective 3: SSE, just transition to climate-neutral and circular economy: innovative ways...

COVID-19 has made life even more precarious for migrant workers
Placeholder image

Migrant worker rights and recruitment

COVID-19 has made life even more precarious for migrant workers

All publications

SCORE Training catalogue

SCORE Training catalogue

SCORE Programme Brief

SCORE Programme Brief

Platformization of the tourism sector in Sri Lanka: Impacts on labour market and decent work opportunities

Future of work

Platformization of the tourism sector in Sri Lanka: Impacts on labour market and decent work opportunities