PATA: No quick fix for travel industry
BANGKOK – Figures released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) show that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region fell by an estimated six percent in July 2009 compared to July 2008.
This was an improvement over the months of May and June which recorded year-on-year reductions of 10 percent and eight percent respectively. 


International arrivals to South Asia showed a year-on-year increase of two percent in arrivals for July 2009, a result partly boosted by increased travel demand to Sri Lanka (+28 percent) and Nepal (air only, +10 percent).
India, the dominant destination for foreign arrivals into South Asia, also reported its second straight month of improvement, albeit marginally.
Similarly, arrivals to Southeast Asia appeared to be on the mend as the year-on-year rate of decline slowed to less than minus three percent, due mainly to the much improved but still negative results from Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 


International arrivals to Northeast Asia were down by about six percent in July, depressed by the double-digit declines for arrivals to Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Japan.
The overall rate of decline for Northeast Asia was mitigated by a smaller fall in travel demand for China (minus three percent) together with increased demand for Korea (ROK) and Chinese Taipei, where growth for the month was recorded at seven percent and 13 percent respectively. 


The Pacific recorded an aggregate international visitor number drop of five percent in July, a result driven in part by a steep fall in arrivals to Australia (–12.8 percent). 


John Koldowski, director of PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC), said the latest results confirmed that the prevailing depressed market conditions are still having an impact on international travel flows “and, while the global economy appears to be showing signs of renewed activity in some areas, it is doing so at a sluggish paceâ€.
“The reality is that there is no quick fix for the travel and tourism industry. We are still fighting to get back to ground zero.â€â€¨
Ian Jarrett
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