World tourism: results in the spotlight

The latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer shows that the total number of international tourist arrivals in July and August exceeded the 400 million mark for the first time. Many destinations have recorded double-digit growth rates, particularly in the Mediterranean region.

« The growth in tourism in recent years confirms that the sector is now one of the most powerful drivers of economic growth and development. It is our responsibility to manage this growth in a sustainable way and to convert it into concrete benefits for all countries, in particular for all local populations, through job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities, without leaving people behind, » said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili (photo).

The number of tourists increased from 6% to 1.4 billion in 2018, « an increase was driven by tourists travelling to Southern Europe (+7%)« , said the Madrid-based United Nations agency. Overall, the number of tourists coming to Europe increased by 6% to 713 million last year.

Given the optimistic outlook for the last few months of the year, 2018 should be the ninth consecutive year of strong growth in international tourism.

The results reflect sustained growth in many destinations, combined with the recovery of those that had recently experienced security problems.

Africa and Europe (+8%) recorded the highest growth.
Africa recorded a 7% increase in arrivals in 2018.

With a 10% increase, the Middle East and Africa grew faster than the global average of 6% for a total estimated international tourist arrivals of 1.4 billion in 2018. This is, according to the report, the second highest growth rate since 2010, and these figures confirm the solid results recorded in 2017.

These good performances were confirmed by experts from all over the world, who were approached by the WTO to develop its confidence index, and who gave a very positive assessment of the May-August period. According to them, the prospects for the last four months of 2018 also remain very promising.

« Tourism, as an economic driver and a major source of employment, contributes to improving the standard of living of millions of people around the world » said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili in London before the World Travel Market.

 » In the future, our efforts and those of policy makers, businesses and travellers must focus on a common objective, namely to maximize the social and economic benefits of tourism while minimizing its negative impacts on host communities and the environment » added Mr Pololikashvili.

France still at the top of the list

France, the world’s leading destination in 2017, and the United States, third, also saw an increase in the number of visitors, while Spain, second in 2017, experienced a more modest increase.

Strong demand from major emitting markets, rebound in Russia and Brazil

The growth in the number of visitors entering destinations around the world was fuelled by strong demand in most of the issuing markets.

Among the top ten markets, international tourism spending grew faster in China (+19%), the Republic of Korea (+12%), the United States (+8%) and Canada (+7%). In Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Hong Kong (China) and the United Kingdom, they increased by 3 to 5 per cent, while France reported a modest increase of 1 per cent.

Outside the top ten markets, it is worth noting a significant recovery in demand in the Russian Federation (+27%) and Brazil (+35%) after several years of contraction in tourism spending abroad.