The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in partnership with the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC), presented its Asia Tourism Trends Report at the Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macao (China). The report shows Asia and the Pacific outperforming all world regions in growth in international arrivals since 2005.
‘UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends – 2018’ shows that international tourist arrivals (ITA) in Asia and the Pacific grew 6 per cent in 2017 to reach 323 million, around a quarter of the world’s total. Of all world regions, Asia and the Pacific, the second-most visited after Europe, has grown the fastest in international tourist arrivals since 2005. Arrivals increased an average of 6 per cent per year, above the world average of 4 per cent.
Rapid economic growth in a region with over half the world’s population, coupled with rising air connectivity, travel facilitation and large infrastructure projects, have boosted international travel in the region. This has had a large impact on Asian destinations’ tourism earnings, which have steadily increased from 17 per cent of the world total in 2000 to 29 per cent in 2017. This is equivalent to US$ 390 billion in tourism receipts.
Asia and the Pacific plays a vital role as a source market as well, fuelling much growth in both regional and long-haul destinations. The region produced 335 million international travellers spending US$ 502 billion in 2017, 37 per cent of the world total. Around 80 per cent of these visits were concentrated in Asia destinations. Outside the region, 56 per cent of the long-haul trips were to Europe.
