Tourism broadly encompasses travel for pleasure and the commercial activities supporting it, defined by UN Tourism as individuals staying outside their usual environment for over 24 hours but less than a year, for leisure, business, or other purposes. This global industry is a major economic force, achieving a significant milestone in 2012 with over 1 billion international tourist arrivals worldwide, fueled by growing spending from emerging markets like China, Russia, and Brazil.

However, the sector has faced severe disruptions, experiencing declines during the 2008 Great Recession and the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, but none as impactful as the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, international tourist arrivals plummeted by an estimated 58% to 78%, leading to a potential loss of US$0.9–1.2 trillion in receipts. Beyond economic impacts, global tourism also contributes approximately 8% of global greenhouse-gas emissions and can have negative social effects on local communities. Consequently, there's a vital shift towards sustainable tourism, championed by organizations like the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) through initiatives like the 2017 International Year for Sustainable Tourism for Development, aiming to balance economic benefits with environmental and social responsibility.