Global tourist numbers to hit one billion in 2012

International tourist numbers are expected to reach one billion in 2012 following a year in which global arrivals rose to just under the milestone number, the UNWTO has found.

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals last year grew by 4.4 per cent to 980 million (up from 939 million in 2010), and this year, growth is expected to continue, albeit at a slower rate.

With the Southern Mediterranean benefiting from diverted traffic from the Middle East and North Africa, Europe was the best performing region in 2011, reaching 503 million visitors and increasing inbound numbers by six per cent – although South America, classified as a sub-region, topped overall rankings with growth of ten per cent for the second consecutive year.  

Across the board, the Americas saw a year-on-year increase of six million arrivals, totaling 156 million in 2011.

On top of growth in South America, Central America and the Caribbean both grew by four per cent, whilst traffic to North America rose three per cent to 100 million visitors.   

With South Asia and South-East Asia each growing by nine per cent, Asia and the Pacific was up six per cent (11 million arrivals) overall, reaching 216 million international tourists.

The African continent maintained international arrivals at 50 million, with Sub-Saharan destinations (seven per cent) offsetting the losses in North Africa (-12 per cent), whilst the Middle East lost around 5 million visitors to its shores.

However, despite the civil unrest that plagued parts of the Gulf region, some destinations such as Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates sustained steady growth, the UNWTO revealed.

For tourism receipts, the year’s top spenders were led by the BRICS nations of China (+38 per cent), Russia (+21 per cent), Brazil (+32 per cent) and India (+32 per cent).

Source - etravelblackboard.us