Overview

• Released at the council’s Global Summit in Rome, the report forecasts the sector will create 91 million new roles by 2035, or one in three net new jobs worldwide.
• WTTC projects labour supply will fall more than 16% short of demand by 2035, translating to a shortfall exceeding 43 million workers if unaddressed.
• The largest absolute gaps are forecast in China (16.9 million), India (11 million) and the European Union (6.4 million), with Japan facing the steepest relative shortfall at 29%.
• Hospitality is expected to be 8.6 million workers short, with more than 20 million additional low‑skilled, customer‑facing roles needed that are difficult to automate.
• The study, produced with partners including Saudi Arabia’s tourism ministry, calls for educator‑industry alignment, stronger retention, digital and AI skills investment, and more flexible recruitment policies.