Tourism industry across the world takes a hit as COVID-19 spreads more widely  

The global tourism industry is the worst affected due to COVID-19 as the breakout of coronavirus has turned businesses upside down.

The tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world with 5.7 trillion dollar revenue and is responsible for an estimated 319 million jobs, or roughly one in 10 people working on the planet.

Not only did people in china cancelled travel plans during this Lunar New Year holidays, but many of the world's most popular travel destinations are also taking a beating.

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And now, the number of international tourist arrivals is expected to drop sharply this year. United Nations estimated a 3 per centfall in international tourist arrivals in 2020 due to virus.

The estimates come after the world tourism organization has reversed a previous forecast of three to four per cent growth. The Madrid-based United Nations body has also said that the drop in tourist arrival will lead to an estimated loss of 30-50 billion dollars ((29-45 billion euros)) in international tourism receipts.

The new coronavirus is putting the breaks on the global economy and tourism alike and France is not immune. With flight and hotel bookings plummeting as the virus continues to spread, Hotels saw occupation rates drop by six per cent in the last week of February while flight bookings dropped by 12 per cent for the month in France.

The Louvre, France's most visited museum - with roughly 25,000 visitors each day, was closed for two days due to virus fears by staff. It only opened again after employees and the museum agreed on measures aimed at containing the possible spread of the virus.

In Japan's Shizuoka which is home to Mount Fuji, Chinese tourists account for as much as 70% of foreign tourists. Some 90,000 people -- mostly Chinese -- have cancelled hotel bookings for the first three months of this year according to the local tourism association.

This represents about a third of the total bookings by Chinese tourists during the period.

Some hotels that are dependent on Chinese tourists are temporarily shutting down as they find shutting down cost-wise better than to have the business open for few guests.

The impact of coronavirus on tourism in the Canary Islands and in the whole country of Spain is overwhelming and strong.

President of Spanish Hotel Association has reportedly said that there has been a decrease in sales of up to 40 per cent.

Madrid has emerged as the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Spain.