Tourism’s Growth Strengthens Sector’s Potential To

Contribute To Sustainable Development Agenda

hospitalitynet.org/news/4096224.html

Press Release

Madrid, Spain - International tourist arrivals grew by a further 4% between January and
September of 2019, the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer indicates.
Tourism's growth continues to outpace global economic growth, bearing witness to its huge
potential to deliver development opportunities across the world but also to its sustainability
challenges.

Destinations worldwide received 1.1 billion international tourist arrivals in the first nine
months of 2019 (up 43 million compared to the same period of 2018), according to the
latest World Tourism Barometer from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in line
with its forecast of 3-4% growth for this year.

The global economic slowdown, rising trade, geopolitical tensions and prolonged
uncertainty around Brexit weighed on international tourism, which experienced a more
moderate pace of growth during the summer peak season in the Northern Hemisphere
(July-September).

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "As world leaders meet at the UN
Climate Summit in Madrid to find concrete solutions to the climate emergency, the release of
this latest World Tourism Barometer shows the growing power of tourism, a sector with the
potential to drive the sustainability agenda forward. As tourist numbers continue to rise, the
opportunities tourism can bring also rise, as do our sector's responsibilities to people and
planet."

Tourism now world's third largest export category

Generating USD 1.7 trillion in revenues as of 2018, international tourism remains the
third largest export category behind fuels (USD 2.4 trillion) and chemicals (USD 2.2
trillion). Within advanced economies, tourism's remarkable performance after years of
sustained growth has narrowed the gap with automotive product exports.

International
You may also like
tourism
International Tourism Growth Continues To Outpace The Global Economy
accounts for
International Tourist Numbers Could Fall 60-80% In 2020, UNWTO Reports
29% of the
International Tourism Arrivals Could Fall By 20-30% In 2020view all
world's
services exports and 7% of overall exports. In some regions these proportions exceed
the world average, especially the Middle East and Africa where tourism represents over
50% of services exports and about 9% of exports overall.

1/3
This highlights the importance of mainstreaming tourism in national export policies to
broaden revenue streams, reduce trade deficits and ensure sustainable development on
the long run.

The world's top ten earners saw mixed results in international tourism receipts through
September 2019, with Australia (+9%), Japan (+8%) and Italy (+7%) posting the highest
growth, while China, the United Kingdom and the United States recorded declines.
Mediterranean destinations were among the strongest performers in terms of earnings,
both in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa region.

Regional performance
Growth in arrivals during the first nine months of 2019 was led by the Middle East (+9%),
followed by Asia and the Pacific and Africa (both +5%), Europe (+3%) and the Americas
(+2%):

Europe's pace of growth slowed down to 3% in January-September this year, from double
that rate last year, reflecting slower demand during the peak summer season in the
world's most visited region. While destinations in Southern Mediterranean (+5%) and
Central Eastern Europe (+4%) led results, the regional average was weighed down by
Northern and Western Europe (both +1%).

Also slower than last year, although still above the global average, growth in Asia and the
Pacific (+5%) was led by South Asia (+8%), followed by South-East (+6%) and North-East
Asia (+5%), while Oceania showed a 2% increase.

Data so far available for Africa (+5%) confirms continued robust results in North Africa
(+10%) after two years of double-digit figures, while arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa grew
1%.

The 2% increase in the Americas reflects a mixed regional picture. While many island
destinations in the Caribbean (+8%) consolidate their recovery after the 2017 hurricanes,
arrivals in South America were down 3% partly due to a decline in Argentinian outbound
travel, which affected neighboring destinations. Both North America and Central America
grew 2%.

Source Markets - mixed results among top spenders

The United States (+6%) led growth in international tourism expenditure in absolute
terms, supported by a strong dollar. India and some European markets also performed
strongly, though global growth was more uneven than a year earlier.

France (+10%) reported the strongest increase among the world's top ten outbound
markets, reflecting surging demand for international travel for the second consecutive
year. Spain (+10%), Italy (+9%) and the Netherlands (+7%) also posted robust growth,
followed by the United Kingdom (+3%) and Russia (+2%).

2/3
Some large emerging markets such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Argentina reported
declines in tourism spending this period, reflecting recent and ongoing economic
uncertainty.

China, the world's top source market saw outbound trips increase by 14% in the first half
of 2019, though expenditure fell 4% compared to the same period last year.

About The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), a United Nations specialized agency, is the
leading international organization with the decisive and central role in promoting the
development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It serves as
a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how. Its
membership includes 159 countries, 6 territories, 2 permanent observers and over 500
Affiliate Members.

3/3