Growth in global tourist arrivals was up 7% in 2017, the largest increase since 2010, according to the World Tourism Organisation.
International tourist arrivals set a new record at 1.32 billion in 2017, up by about 84 million.
It is the world’s third-largest export sector, with US$ 1.6 trillion in exports generated by tourism.
“The sector has now seen uninterrupted growth in arrivals for eight straight years,” the UNWTO said in a release.
The organisation cited strong outbound travel demand from virtually all source markets including a rebound in fortunes in Brazil and Russia.
UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2018 Edition’ reaffirms China’s position as the leader in global outbound travel.
Chinese travellers spent US$ 258 billion on international tourism in 2017, which represents almost one-fifth of the world’s total tourism spending.
The UNWTO says 2018 is also on track for a year-on-year increase with 6% growth in arrivals recorded between January and April.
