The data, compiled by Oxford Economics on behalf of the WTTC, analysed staff shortages across the UK and other major travel and tourism markets, including the US, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, between July - December 2021 and 2022.
All countries reportedly showed "significant" staff shortages, with employment demand starting to outstrip the available labour supply.
The UK was predicted to see a shortfall of around 12%, with one in eight job vacancies left unfilled.
Julia Simpson, WTTC president and chief executive, said the UK’s economic recovery "could be jeopardised" if the jobs aren’t filled as travellers return.
"If we cannot fill these vacancies, it could threaten the survival of travel and tourism businesses up and down the UK," she added.
The global tourism body also said reinstating "damaging" travel restrictions, such as the recent measures aimed at curbing the spread of the new variant, will "not stop the virus and only damage livelihoods".
According to the report, demand for travel jobs is forecast at nearly 1.7 million in the second half of 2021, with labour shortages projected at 205,000, equating to one in eight unfilled vacancies.
WTTC’s report also outlined solutions for governments and businesses to tackle the labour shortages, such as facilitating labour mobility and remote working, providing social safety nets, upskilling and reskilling the workforce and retaining talent, and creating and promoting education and apprenticeships.
