Growth was led by Asia and
the Pacific (+8%) and Europe (+7%). Africa (+6%), the Middle East (+4%)
and the Americas (+3%) also recorded sound results. Earlier this year,
UNWTO’s forecast for 2018 was between 4-5%.
“International tourism
continues to show significant growth worldwide, and this translates into
job creation in many economies. This growth reminds us of the need to
increase our capacity to develop and manage tourism in a sustainable
way, building smart destinations and making the most of technology and
innovation”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili.
Asia and Europe led growth at the start of 2018
From January to April
2018, international arrivals increased in all regions, led by Asia and
the Pacific (+8%), with South-East Asia (+10%) and South Asia (+9%)
driving results.
The world’s largest tourism region, Europe also performed strongly
during this four-month period (+7%), pulled ahead by the destinations of
Southern and Mediterranean Europe, and Western Europe (both +8%).
Growth in the Americas is
estimated at 3%, with strongest results in South America (+8%). The
Caribbean (-9%) is the only sub-region to experience a decrease in
arrivals during this period, weighed down by some destinations still
struggling with the aftermath of the hurricanes of August and September
2017.
The limited information
coming from Africa and the Middle East points to 6% and 4% growth,
respectively, confirming the rebound of Middle East destinations and the
consolidation of the growth in Africa.
Confidence in global
tourism remains strong according to the latest UNWTO Panel of Tourism
Experts survey. The Panel’s outlook for the May-August period is one the
most optimistic in a decade, led by the particularly upbeat sentiment
in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Experts’ evaluation of tourism
performance in the first four months of 2018 was also robust, in line
with the strong results recorded in many destinations around the world.
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