Expectations exceeded in 2014
The number of international tourists grew by five per cent during the first ten months of 2014, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, rising above expectations
Between January and October 2014, the volume of international tourists (overnight visitors) reached 978 million, 45 million more than in the same period of 2013. “With an increase of 4.7 per cent, international tourism continues to grow well above the long-term trend projected by UNWTO for the period 2010-2020,” said the organisation.
By region, the strongest growth (eight per cent) was registered in the Americas, followed by Asia and the Pacific with five-per-cent increases, and Europe with four per cent. By subregion, North America with nine per cent and South Asia, eight per cent growth, were the star performers, as well as Southern and Mediterranean Europe, Northeast Asia and Northern Europe, all of which saw tourist numbers increase by seven per cent.
UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai commented: “These are remarkable results considering that different parts of the world continue to face significant geopolitical and health challenges, while the global economic recovery remains rather fragile and uneven,” he added. “More importantly, we see a growing political commitment to the tourism sector in many countries. This is encouraging, not in the least because tourism is one of the sectors that is best able to deliver on employment at a moment when job creation needs to be a priority to all.”
The Americas: the best results of the last decade
UNWTO data shows that the Americas led global growth during the first ten months of 2014, rebounding significantly on 2013’s subdued results. This is the region’s best performance since 2004, when international tourism also rebounded strongly, following the 2003 SARS outbreak. All subregions – North America, the Caribbean, Central America and South America – doubled the growth rates of 2013, with particularly positive results in North America in view of the extraordinary performance of Mexico and the US.
Meanwhile, international arrivals in Asia and the Pacific increased by five per cent in the first 10 months of 2014 compared to the previous year, consolidating the region’s growth trend of recent years. The best results came from South Asia, led by India, and from Northeast Asia, where major destinations such as Japan and the Republic of Korea registered double-digit growth. Arrivals in Oceania grew by six per cent, which UNWTO credits mostly to the increase of arrivals in Australia and New Zealand. Southeast Asia, which saw two per cent growth, slowed down compared to 2012 and 2013 as a result of the decline in arrivals registered in Thailand.
Europe, the most visited region in the world, posted a four-per-cent increase in international tourist arrivals through to October, with strong results in Northern Europe and in Southern Mediterranean Europe (both increasing seven per cent), where established destinations such as Greece, Portugal, Spain and Malta recorded robust growth. International tourism grew at a more modest pace in Western Europe (two per cent) and was stagnant in Central and Eastern Europe, which is in stark contrast with the last three years, during which time arrivals grew at an average of eight per cent a year.
International tourist arrivals in the Middle East are estimated to be up by four per cent during the reporting period, rebounding on the declines registered since 2011. All destinations in the region with data available report positive growth, with Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia all substantially improving their performance as compared to 2013.
Elsewhere, Africa’s international tourist numbers grew by three per cent, with North Africa consolidating its recovery with two per cent growth. Subsaharan Africa’s arrivals were up by three per cent, despite the challenges of the Ebola outbreak in a few West African countries. Data for Africa and the Middle East, nonetheless, noted UNWTO, should be read with caution as figures are based on limited and volatile data for these regions.