Tourism value up and up thanks to China and USA
1.2billion destination opportunities – but with value-sapping pay-walls who benefits?
International tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2015 to reach a total of 1,184 million in 2015, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Some 50 million more tourists (overnight visitors) travelled to international destinations around the world last year as compared to 2014.
Said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. "International tourism reached new heights in 2015… the sector is contributing to economic growth and job creation in many parts of the world."
"It is thus critical for countries to promote policies that foster the continued growth of tourism, including travel facilitation, human resources development and sustainability"
Europe was up to 609 million arrivals, AsiaPacific 277 million; the Americas 191 million and the Middle East 54 million, whilst Africa was down to 53 million (due to a reduction of 8% in North Africa). A total of nearly 1.2 billion tourists.
Chinese tourists, now in top position, are said to have spent about $182bn, USA $122bn, Germany $94bn, UK $61bn and Russia now less than $50bn.-
Clearly it’s a great deal of economic activity – said by UNWTO to be $1.6 trillion in total. But in 2015 this activity became more intermediated than ever – with OTAs, cruise companies and all-inclusives, amongst others either taking a substantial cut of the revenue or ring-fencing it.
The challenge for destinations is to get a respectable portion of this megawealth for themselves – then the opportunity-value of 1.2billion tourists won’t be sucked-out of them by pay-walls before they arrive. Destinations may be able to use this revenue to promote human resources development, local sustainable economic growth and environmental management.
Valere Tjolle
@ValereTjolle [email protected]
Valere
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