26 Apr 2025
The “Collapse Of Trust”: Why Gen Z Job-Seekers Should Forget About Travel & Tourism
Bangkok – The Travel & Tourism industry is today very focussed on Gen Z, the “the Young Generation” (born between 1997-2012). I would strongly recommend Gen Z NOT, repeat NOT to pursue jobs in Travel & Tourism.
Why? Check out the World Social Report 2025, a joint publication of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the UN University’s World Institute For Development Economics Research. Here are some of its bottom-line conclusions:
Its core message: The world is facing a “Collapse of Trust” — in governments, institutions, corporations, media and in each other. The accompanying instability in the economic, social and political systems is directly impacting job security and the working environment, in both the formal and informal sectors. The situation is further complicated by rising climate change impacts and worsening conflicts.
And yes, Travel & Tourism is being severely affected. Witness current events:
[] In the United States, tourism is taking a sharp dive directly as a result of the bizarre economic and political twist-and-turns of the Trump regime as it converts the former “Land of the Free” into the “Land of Fear.”
[] In the Middle East, the long-suffering Holy Land destinations remain mired in conflict, impacting the direct protagonists, Israel and Palestine, as well as those on the periphery such as Egypt and Jordan.
[] In South Asia, the latest flare-up in violence has hit Kashmir, one of the world’s most scenic destinations, and will soon impact both India and Pakistan at large.
[] In Southeast Asia, the ongoing ethnic conflicts in Myanmar drag down the visitor arrivals to what could otherwise be one of the region’s top destinations.
ALL are man-made crises, which were both avoidable and preventable. They are only small cogs in the much broader geopolitical wars being fought at the global levels between the superpowers, economic systems and now, increasingly, between civilisations.
ALL forms of conflict impact jobs. Travel & Tourism is the first to be impacted. That leads to job-cuts, with Gen Z staffers the first to be let go on the basis of the last-in, first-out formula.
This is a sea-change from the situation 35 years ago.
In 1990, global Travel & Tourism multinational corporations set up the World Travel & Tourism Council, which rapidly gained prominence by positioning Travel & Tourism as the world’s biggest job-creating industry.
That simple slogan appealed to politicians, bureaucrats and CEOs looking for low-hanging-fruit economic sectors which could quickly be tapped to drive economic growth.
Today, that slogan lies in tatters. While Travel & Tourism can still create jobs in countries which are stable and peaceful, that peace and stability can be quickly disrupted by external events in an interconnected world.
On a normal household budget, Travel & Tourism comes under the category of discretionary spending, “nice to do” as against “need to do.” When economies tank, it is the first item to be cut in order to safeguard reserves for other priority items, e.g., health, food, education and housing.
I urge Gen Z to closely study the various economic sectors and focus on those which are directly relevant to meeting the needs of daily survival. THAT’s where the job prospects will be the best.
Sadly, it appears military expenditures are also on the rise. The merchants of death are salivating at the prospects of more global conflict. That, of course, is NOT going to be very good for Travel & Tourism, nor job prospects.
Here is a link to the media release and a few images from the World Social Report with some of the relevant conclusions. It is well reading and absorbing in full.
I can confidently say that the Travel & Tourism industry will sweep it under the carpet. Travel & Tourism leaders of today lack the intellectual and moral courage to deal with such issues.
The report’s conclusions about the lack of trust in institutions will be proved right.
So will I.
