BERLIN: Travel and tourism will contribute less than previously forecast to the economies of France, Turkey and Brazil this year, hit by attacks, political and economic turmoil, though globally the sector is resilient, the World Travel and Tourism Council said.

Brazil is hosting the Olympic Games this year but its travel and tourism sector has suffered under a political crisis, its worst recession since the 1930s, and the Zika virus.

The sector’s contribution to Brazil’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to shrink by 1.6 per cent this year, against a previous forecast for a drop of 0.9pc, the WTTC said.

Islamist militant attacks in Paris, Brussels and Nice have resulted in lower demand for travel to Europe. In France, the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to GDP will grow 1.1pc this year, down from a previous forecast of 2.9pc.

“The Paris incident did have an impact because it’s the first point of entry to Europe for a lot of Asian and North American travellers,” David Scowsill, president of the WTTC told Reuters.

The number of foreign tourists fell sharply in France in the second quarter of the year, official data showed on Friday. In France, the sector contributed 80.4 billion euros ($90.9bn), or 3.7pc of total GDP, in 2015.

A series of militant bombings in Turkey and a failed coup have also deterred tourists, and the sector’s contribution to GDP there will shrink by 3.2pc this year, sharply lower than a previously forecast drop of 0.2pc.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2016