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WTO: Recovery is underway
MADRID – Growth returned to international tourism in the last quarter of 2009 contributing to better than expected full-year results, according to the latest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.
International tourist arrivals fell by an estimated 4% in 2009.
Prospects have improved with arrivals now forecast to grow between 3% and 4% in 2010.
International tourist arrivals for business, leisure and other purposes are estimated to have declined worldwide by 4% in 2009 to 880 million.
This represents a slight improvement on the previous estimate as a result of the 2% upswing in the last quarter of 2009.
In contrast, international tourist arrivals shrank by 10%, 7% and 2% in the first three quarters respectively.
Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East led the recovery with growth already turning positive in both regions in the second half of 2009.
By region, Asia is expected to continue showing the strongest rebound, while Europe and the Americas are likely to recover at a more moderate pace.
Growth is expected to return to the Middle East while Africa will continue its positive trend benefiting from the extra boost provided by the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
“The global economic crisis aggravated by the uncertainty around the A(H1N1) pandemic turned 2009 into one of the toughest years for the tourism sectorâ€, said UNWTO secretary-general, Taleb Rifai.
“However, the results of recent months suggest that recovery is underway, and even somewhat earlier and at a stronger pace than initially expected,†he added.
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