1. Introduction
The Travel & Tourism (T&T) industry (of which the hotel sector forms a part) 3
employs approximately 238 million people worldwide, representing 8.4 per cent of total
global employment (i.e. 1 in every 11.9 jobs) and generates 9.9 per cent of world GDP. 4
By 2018, employment in the T&T industry is expected to rise further to around 296 million
people, thus cementing its position as a major global employer. The ILO definition of the
Hotel, Catering and Tourism (HCT) 5 sector differs from the definition of the tourism
sector used by most organizations since it includes not only the services provided to
travellers but also those for residents. The tourism ratio of the turnover of hotels and
restaurants, i.e. the proportion of their services provided to travellers, may range from one
quarter to three quarters