2019 STATISTICS International tourist arrivals reach 1.1 billion

UNWTO REPORT

Tourist arrivals to worldwide destinations reached 1.1 billion in the nine months ending September, the United Nations World Tourism Organization(UNWTO) said in a report.

Latest results of the UNWTO World Tourism barometer showed the January to September figure is 43 million higher than tourists arrivals in the same period last year, an estimated 4.1 percent increase.

“Growth in arrivals during the first nine months of 2019 was led by the Middle East (+9 percent), followed by Asia and the Pacific and Africa (both +5 percent), Europe (+3 percent) and the Americas (+2 percent),” the UNWTO said.

The UNWTO reported that Europe’s pace of growth slowed down to three percent in January to September this year from double that rate last year, reflecting slower demand during the peak summer season in the world’s most visited region.

“Also slower than last year, although still above the global average, growth in Asia and the Pacific (+5 percent) was led by South Asia (+8 percent), followed by Southeast (+6%) and Northeast Asia (+5 percent), while Oceania showed a two percent increase,” the UNWTO said.

Meanwhile, available data for Africa showed continued robust results in North Africa (+10 percent) after two years of double-digit figures, while arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa grew one percent.

The two percent increase in the Americas, on the other hand, reflects a mixed regional picture. Arrivals in both North America and Central America grew two percent during the period.

Apart from growing global tourism arrivals, the UNWTO barometer reported that international tourism revenues have also been increasing after generating $1.7 trillion in 2018.

This makes international tourism the third largest export category behind fuels ($2.4 trillion) and chemicals ($2.2 trillion).

 

SOURCE: UNWTO/ Phil Star

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