Tourism offers great opportunities for emerging economies and developing countries. It creates jobs, strengthens the local economy, contributes to local infrastructure development and can help to conserve the natural environment and cultural assets and traditions, and to reduce poverty and inequality.

Tourism is a vital economic and social engine that promotes global connectivity and regional development. Economically, it accounts for a significant portion of global GDP and is a major job creator in the hospitality, transport, and service sectors. In many developing regions, tourism provides the foreign exchange earnings necessary for infrastructure projects like roads and hospitals. Socially, it encourages cultural preservation, as local communities are incentivized to maintain heritage sites and traditional arts to attract visitors. It also fosters international understanding and empathy by breaking down cultural barriers through face-to-face interaction. In 2026, there is an increasing focus on "sustainable tourism," which aims to maximize these benefits while minimizing the environmental footprint, ensuring that local ecosystems and communities thrive alongside the visiting travelers.