International arrivals still below peak
MADRID – The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer indicates international tourist arrivals have increased by seven percent in the first two months of 2010.
This follows the upturn already registered in the last quarter of 2009 when arrivals grew by two percent after 14 consecutive months of negative results.
Though data for March is still limited, countries with data already reported confirm that this positive trend is set to continue.
Growth was positive in all world regions during the first two months of 2010 led by Asia and the Pacific (+10%) and Africa (+7%).
The pace of growth was slower in Europe (+3%) and in the Americas (+3%), the two regions hardest hit by the global crisis and where economic recovery is proving to be comparatively weaker.
A large number of countries around the world reported positive results in the first months of 2010.
Of the 77 destinations reporting data for this period, 60 showed positive figures, of which 24 posted double-digit growth including Estonia, Israel, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Guam, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, US Virgin Islands, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Kenya, Seychelles, Morocco, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
International tourist arrivals totalled 119 million during the first two months of 2010, up seven percent on 2009 but still two percent below the value of the record year of 2008.
UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to grow by3-4 percent in 2010.
There were no major changes in the rankings of the first ten destinations by international tourist arrivals and receipts in 2009.
France, the USA and Spain continue to be leaders in both arrivals and receipts, albeit in a different order.
France continues to lead the ranking of the world’s major tourism destinations in terms of arrivals and ranks third in receipts.
The USA ranks first in receipts and second in arrivals.
Spain maintains its position as the second biggest earner worldwide and the first in Europe, and ranks third in arrivals.
In 2009, both Turkey and Germany climbed one position in the ranking of arrivals to seventh and eighth places, respectively.
In arrivals, Malaysia entered the top ten in 2009 at ninth place.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt