2. the Importance of Tourism
2. The Importance of Tourism153
500
400
300
200
100
0
414
124
35
33
2.1 TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL
TOURISM
2004 was the most successful year ever for the travel industry, with more than
760 million arrivals globally – an increase of around ten per cent on 2003. After three years of stagnation following the
September 11 attacks, the SARS crisis and the Iraq war, almost all destination markets recorded substantial growth. Once again, the Asian market proved the most dynamic: with 153 million international arrivals and growth of 29 per cent, Asia was able to strengthen its position as the second most popular travel destination after Europe in 2004. Asia is now a long way ahead of America, which itself achieved a ten per cent increase in international arrivals, bringing the figure to 124 million.
The European countries saw 414 million international arrivals (up four per cent).
Positive growth rates were also enjoyed by the Middle East, up 20 per cent to 35 million, and Africa with a seven per cent rise to 33 million international arrivals. In total, around 80 to 85 per cent of international travel was intra-continental, while the remaining 15 to 20 per cent of travel was to destinations on a different continent. Asia itself benefited from most of the growth in travel on that continent, although European destinations also proved popular.
In 2004, Europe’s share of all worldwide arrivals was just under 55 per cent, down by around 5 percentage points since 1995.
According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) forecasts, this trend is set to continue, with Europe’s market share falling to just under 46 per cent by 2020.
However, given the overall growth in the global travel market, this will still mean average growth of three per cent a year for
Europe to 2020. Against this background, it is particularly encouraging that Germany’s ten per cent increase in the number of arrivals in 2004 was significantly above the
figure
500
400
300
200
100
0
414
124
35
33
2.1 TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL
TOURISM
2004 was the most successful year ever for the travel industry, with more than
760 million arrivals globally – an increase of around ten per cent on 2003. After three years of stagnation following the
September 11 attacks, the SARS crisis and the Iraq war, almost all destination markets recorded substantial growth. Once again, the Asian market proved the most dynamic: with 153 million international arrivals and growth of 29 per cent, Asia was able to strengthen its position as the second most popular travel destination after Europe in 2004. Asia is now a long way ahead of America, which itself achieved a ten per cent increase in international arrivals, bringing the figure to 124 million.
The European countries saw 414 million international arrivals (up four per cent).
Positive growth rates were also enjoyed by the Middle East, up 20 per cent to 35 million, and Africa with a seven per cent rise to 33 million international arrivals. In total, around 80 to 85 per cent of international travel was intra-continental, while the remaining 15 to 20 per cent of travel was to destinations on a different continent. Asia itself benefited from most of the growth in travel on that continent, although European destinations also proved popular.
In 2004, Europe’s share of all worldwide arrivals was just under 55 per cent, down by around 5 percentage points since 1995.
According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) forecasts, this trend is set to continue, with Europe’s market share falling to just under 46 per cent by 2020.
However, given the overall growth in the global travel market, this will still mean average growth of three per cent a year for
Europe to 2020. Against this background, it is particularly encouraging that Germany’s ten per cent increase in the number of arrivals in 2004 was significantly above the
figure