Asia Leads Global Tourism Rebound For First Half Of 2010

According to UNWTO World Tourism Barometer’s August Interim Update, the global tourism rebound is led by Asia Pacific and the Middle East, with 14% and 20% growth, respectively. Destinations countries in North East Asia (+16%), South-East Asia (+12%) and South Asia (+14%) have recorded double digit increases. Asian countries such as Sri Lanka (+49%), Japan (36%), Vietnam (35%) and Myanmar (35%) registered strong results, propelling Asia to become the second-most visited region in the world. International tourist arrivals increased by 7% for the first half of 2010. On a month-by-month basis, May(+10)), March(+9%) and June(+8%) were the strongest. The positive growth rates, together with the improving global economy, suggest that year-end results may exceed UNWTO’s forecast of 3% to 4%.