The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reports strong growth in international travel to countries in the Americas in recent years.
Economic contribution
In 2017, South America was the subregion with the highest annual percentage gain in international tourist arrivals—6.7 percent, based on preliminary figures—followed by the Caribbean (4.1 percent) and Central America (3.7 percent). Mexico saw double-digit growth (12 percent), though a decrease in tourism to the United States meant that the gain for North America was under 2 percent. UNWTO expects sustained global tourism growth through 2030, including in the Americas, though at a slightly reduced pace relative to prior years.
The travel and tourism industry makes a major impact on the world economy. It accounts for an estimated 10.2 percent of GDP—when both direct and indirect jobs are considered—and 9.6 percent of employment, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), an industry group.
The sector is an even larger contributor to the economies of the small and island countries that are members of IDB Invest (Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago). In those nations, tourism accounts for an average 18.2 percent of GDP and nearly 15 percent of employment, based on WTTC data.