Aviation is a goose that can lay golden eggs

THEY say that "travel broadens the mind" and I think many would agree that exploring our wonderful and diverse planet can lead to greater understanding and sharing of knowledge between cultures. In short, travel is fantastic! No wonder the United Nations has chosen to highlight this by designating September 27 as World Tourism Day. This is an important opportunity to remind ourselves that tourism is both a driver of economic change and also of social development.

The aviation industry plays a crucial role in helping to facilitate tourism. Fifty-two per cent of all tourists travel by air. In total, aviation-related tourism supports 35 million jobs worldwide, contributing more than US$800 billion to global GDP. Regionally, the impact of tourism can be even more profound. In Africa, 30 per cent of all tourism jobs are supported by tourists arriving by air.

In some parts of the world, the development of aviation and tourism has been at the heart of national economic strategies. Dubai is a particularly successful example: the development of a strong aviation hub alongside exciting visitor attractions shows how tourism and aviation can work hand-in-hand.