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UNWTO upbeat on Asia's prospects
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Hong Kong (2010-01-22)
THE United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is predicting a sharp recovery in arrivals for Asia as it revised its 2010 forecast for world tourism up from two per cent to three to four per cent for the year.
Asia-Pacific was one of two regions (Africa was the other) to deliver growth in a year beset by numerous challenges. The region reversed the seven per cent loss of the first half to finish 2009 with a three per cent gain while arrivals to Africa grew five per cent last year.
The UN agency expected the Shanghai World Expo, running from May to October, to generate additional travel for the region, as will pent-up demand following a deep recession.
UNWTO revised global arrival numbers up after seeing a turnaround in the last quarter of 2009. The two per cent gain was the first upturn following three straight quarters of losses that reached as high as 10 per cent at the start of the year. Despite the upturn, international arrivals last year fell four per cent to 880 million.
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