1
On track for recovery after an
exceptionally challenging 2009
International tourist arrivals are estimated to have
declined worldwide by 4% in 2009 to 880 million.
Growth returned in the last quarter of 2009, after
14 months of negative results, contributing to a
better than expected full-year. The 2% upswing
registered in the last quarter of 2009 contrasts with
the declines of 10%, 7% and 2% felt in the first
three quarters respectively. Asia and the Pacific
and the Middle East led the recovery with growth
already turning positive in both regions in the
second half of 2009.
World: Inbound Tourism
International Tourist Arrivals (million)
Source: WorldTourism Organization (UNWTO) 
534
567
593 610
632
682 682
702 691
762
802
847
901 920
880
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1000
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009*
Based on the trends through the first three
quarters, international tourism receipts for 2009
are estimated to have decreased by around 6%.
While this is unquestionably a disappointing result
for an industry accustomed to continuous growth,
it can also be interpreted as a sign of comparative
resilience given the extremely difficult economic
environment. This becomes even more evident
when compared with the estimated 12% slump in
overall exports as a consequence of the global
crisis.
Against the backdrop of both the upturn in
international tourism figures and overall economic
indicators in recent months, UNWTO forecasts a
growth in international tourist arrivals of between
3% and 4% in 2010. (Continued on page 5)
Contents
Quick overview of key trends 3
Inbound Tourism: short-term tourism data 2009 5
World 5
Prospects for 2010 7
International Tourism Receipts and Expenditure 2009 9
UNWTO Forecasts for 2010 15
Evaluation by UNWTO's Panel of Tourism Experts 16
Regions 19
Europe 19
Asia and the Pacific 24
The Americas 29
Africa and the Middle East 34
In focus 39
UNWTO Affiliate Members 39
Transport 41
Hospitality 46
The economic environment 49
UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts
Panel looks forward to 2010 with expectations
The improved prospects for 2010 are confirmed by the
encouraging steep rise in the UNWTO Panel of Experts'
Confidence Index for 2010. As expected, given the turbulence
experienced over the past 12 months, the over 340
members of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts from
around the world who contributed to this issue of the
UNWTO World Tourism Barometer have evaluated 2009
with a pretty poor score of just 72.
However, the average score given by these same
experts for 2010's prospects is 131, well above the neutral
100 and close to the level of the boom years 2004-2007.
(Continued on page 16)
UNWTOPanel ofTourismExperts
Better
Equal
Worse
Source: WorldTourism Organization (UNWTO) 
150
144 140 137 132
71
131
119
144 140 136
143
98
72
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Prospects(before)
Evaluation(after)
Volume 8 ˇ No. 1 ˇ January 2010
Excerpt
2
Volume 8 ˇ No. 1 ˇ January 2010
The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer is a publication of the
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). By monitoring short-term
tourism trends on a regular basis, UNWTO aims to provide all
those involved directly or indirectly in tourism with adequate upto-date
statistics and analysis in a timely fashion.
The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer is published three
times a year (in January, June and October). Each issue contains
three regular sections: an overview of short-term tourism data
from destination and generating countries and air transport; the
results of the latest survey among the UNWTO Panel of Tourism
Experts, providing an evaluation of and prospects for short-term
tourism performance; and selected economic data relevant for
tourism. The objective for future editions of the UNWTO World
Tourism Barometer will be to broaden its scope and improve
coverage gradually over time.
The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer is prepared by
UNWTO's Market Trends, Competitiveness and Trade in Tourism
Services Section, with the collaboration of consultants, Nancy
Cockerell and David Stevens. The UNWTO Secretariat wishes to
express its sincere gratitude to all those who have participated in
the elaboration of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, in
particular all institutions that supplied data, and to the members
of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts for their valuable
contributions.
For more information on the UNWTO World Tourism
Barometer, including copies of previous issues, please refer to
the Facts & Figures section on the UNWTO website at
<www.unwto.org/facts/menu.html>.
We welcome your comments and suggestions at
<barom@unwto.org>, tel +34 915678206 / fax +34 915678217.
Explanation of abbreviations and signs used
* = provisional figure or data
.. = figure or data not (yet) available
| : change of series
mn:million (1,000,000)
bn: billion (1,000,000,000)
Q1: January, February, March
Q2: April, May, June
Q3: July, August, September
Q4: October, November, December
T1: January, February, March, April
T2: May, June, July, August
T3: September, October, November, December
YTD: Year to date, variation of months with data available compared with the
same period of the previous year. The (sub)regional totals are approximations
for the whole (sub)region based on trends for the countries with data available.
Series International Tourist Arrivals
TF: International tourist arrivals at frontiers (excluding same-day visitors);
VF: International visitor arrivals at frontiers (tourists and same-day visitors);
THS: International tourist arrivals at hotels and similar establishments;
TCE: International tourist arrivals at collective tourism establishments;
NHS: Nights of international tourists in hotels and similar establishments;
NCE: Nights of international tourists in collective tourism establishments.
Series International Tourism Receipts and Expenditure
All percentages are derived from non-seasonally adjusted series in local
currencies, unless otherwise indicated: $: US$; : euro; sa: seasonally adjusted
series.
The World Tourism Organization is a specialized agency of the
United Nations and the leading international organization in the
field of tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy
issues and a practical source of tourism know-how. Its
membership includes 160 countries and territories and more than
350 Affiliate Members representing local governments, tourism
associations and private sector companies including airlines,
hotel groups and tour operators.
Copyright  2010 World Tourism Organization
Calle Capitán Haya, 42, 28020 Madrid, Spain
UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
ISSN: 1728-9246
Published and printed by the World Tourism Organization, Madrid,
Spain - First printing: 2010 (version 28/01/10)
All rights reserved
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this
publication do not imply the expression of any opinions whatsoever on
the part of the Secretariat of the World Tourism Organization
concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its
authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
All UNWTO publications are protected by copyright. Therefore and
unless otherwise specified, no part of an UNWTO publication may be
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permission to photocopy UNWTO material, refer to the UNWTO
website at www.unwto.org/pub/rights.htm.
The contents of this issue may be quoted provided the source is given
accurately and clearly. Distribution or reproduction in full is permitted
for own or internal use only. Please do not post electronic copies on
publicly accessible websites, UNWTO encourages you to include a link
to the Facts & Figures section of the UNWTO website instead at
<www.unwto.org/facts/menu.html>.
World Tourism Organization
Capitán Haya 42, 28020 Madrid, Spain
Tel (34) 91 567 81 00 / Fax (34) 91 571 37 33
barom@unwto.org
www.unwto.org
Data collection for this issue was closed on 15 January
2010.
The next issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
will be published at the end of June 2010.
3
Volume 8 ˇ No. 1 ˇ January 2010
UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, January 2010
Quick overview of key trends
International tourism 2009
* Worldwide, international tourist arrivals fell by 4% in 2009.
* This represents a slight improvement on the previous
estimate as a result of the 2% upswing in the last quarter of
2009. In contrast, international tourist arrivals shrank by 10%,
7% and 2% in the first three quarters of 2009 respectively.
* Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East led the recovery
with growth already turning positive in both regions in the
second half of the year.
* Full-year results show that growth was negative in all world
regions except for Africa, which bucked the global trend.
- Europe ended 2009 down 6% after a very complicated
first half (-10%). Destinations in Central, Eastern and
Northern Europe were particularly badly hit, while results
in Western, Southern and Mediterranean Europe were
relatively better.
- Asia and the Pacific (-2%) showed an extraordinary
rebound. While arrivals declined by 7% between January
and June, the second half of 2009 saw 3% growth
reflecting improved regional economic results and
prospects.
- In the Americas (-5%), the Caribbean returned to growth
in the last four months of 2009. The performance was
more sluggish in the other sub-regions, with the A(H1N1)
influenza outbreak exacerbating the impact of the economic crisis.
- The Middle East (-6%), though still far from the growth levels of previous years, had a positive second half in 2009.
- Africa (+5%) was a robust performer, with Subsaharan destinations doing particularly well.
* Despite the overall decline, several destinations worldwide reported positive results in 2009 in terms of international
tourist arrivals. These include Morocco, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominican Republic,
Jamaica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (pr.
of China), Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, several Pacific Islands, Iran, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Iceland, Sweden,
Hungary, FYR of Macedonia, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
* Based on the trends through the first three quarters of the year, receipts for 2009 are estimated to have decreased by
around 6%. Still, there were seven destinations worldwide which achieved some growth in exports earnings from tourism
in 2009. Among these, it is worth noting the double-digit growth of Taiwan (pr. of China), Sweden and Australia.
Furthermore, Hong Kong (China), Malaysia, Poland and Hungary also managed to buck the overall negative trend.
* As in previous crises, consumers tended to travel closer to home during 2009. Several destinations have seen domestic
tourism endure the crisis better and even grow significantly. This was the case among many other countries, of China,
Brazil and Spain, where the domestic market, representing a large share of the total demand, contributed to partially
offsetting the decline in international tourism.
* The upward trend of the last months of 2009 is also visible in the air transport data from IATA and various regional air
transport associations. According to IATA, passenger traffic was positive since September 2009 after a year of declines.
Overall, worldwide passenger traffic through November was 4% down, while capacity declined by 3%, leaving load factors
at 75.4%, down from 75.9% for full year 2008.
International TouristArrivals (%change)
Source:WorldTourismOrganization(UNWTO)
2.0
0.3 1.1
3.0 3.8
18.2
-4.3
-5.6
-1.9
-5.1
5.1
-5.6-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
World Europe Asia and
the Pacific
Americas Africa Middle East
08/07 09*/08
WorldInboundTourism: International Tourist Arrivals, 2009*
Source: WorldTourism Organization (UNWTO) 
Europe,460
mn,52%
Africa,48mn,
5%
MiddleEast,52
mn, 6%
Americas, 140
mn,16%Asiaand the
Pacific,180 mn,
21%
4
Volume 8 ˇ No. 1 ˇ January 2010
* Meanwhile, global airline capacity measured in available seats shows positive growth for the fifth consecutive month in
January 2010, according to OAG.
* Hotel performance data for the first eleven months, as analysed by Deloitte based on data reported by STR Global, also
corroborates this upward trend ­ occupancy rates have started to post growth in some key destinations which is a sign
that the recovery has begun.
* As expected, given the turbulence experienced over the past 12 months, the over 340 members of the UNWTO Panel of
Tourism Experts from around the world who contributed to this issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer have
evaluated 2009 with a pretty poor score of 72 ­ surprisingly close to their rating for 2009's prospects at the beginning of
the year. Nonetheless, the evaluation of the last four months of 2009 (up to 91 from 73 for the period May-August)
confirms the improved confidence of the sector.
Prospects for 2010
* The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has just recently
stated that the global recovery is occurring "significantly"
faster than expected, as compared with its October
assessment, which already counted on a clear return of
economic growth in 2010 (+3.1% worldwide, with stronger
performance for emerging economies at +5.1%, alongside
a more sluggish one for advanced economies at +1.3%).
* Given the recent upturn in both international tourism figures
and the overall economic indicators, UNWTO forecasts a
growth in international tourist arrivals of between 3% and
4% in 2010.
* By region, Asia is expected to continue showing the
strongest rebound, while Europe and the Americas are
likely to recover at a more moderate pace. Growth is expected to return to the Middle East while Africa will continue its
positive trend benefiting from the extra boost provided by the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
* These improved prospects are confirmed by the encouraging steep rise in the UNWTO Panel of Experts' Confidence
Index for 2010. The experts who judge prospects for 2010 as `better or `much better than would reasonably be expected'
(61%) clearly outnumber those rating it as `the same as' (32%), or `worse' (7%). The average score for 2010 (131), is well
above the neutral 100 and close to the level of the boom years 2004-2007.
* 2010 provides several upside opportunities, while naturally not eliminating downside risks. On the positive side, the
economy is recovering quicker than expected and business and consumer confidence have picked up. Interest rates and
inflation are expected to rise only moderately in the short term. In the tourism sector, the pent-up demand that generally
follows a slump creates several opportunities and there is scope for a revival among source markets which were hard hit
in 2009 such as the UK or the Russian Federation. Another factor that will brighten up 2010 is that there will be plenty of
events to attract potential visitors ­ from the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in February to the FIFA Football World Cup in
June in South Africa and the Shanghai World Expo from May through October.
* On the downside, unemployment is the key challenge. The jobs crisis is not over yet, particularly in major advanced
economies and many valuable human resources are still at risk. In the economic front, recovery in major tourism source
markets, especially in Europe and the USA, is still fragile and household and company budgets may face extra pressure
from the gradual withdrawal of stimulus measures and from potential increases in taxation as results of growing public
deficits. Oil prices are expected to remain volatile through 2010 and security threats as well as the potential of increased
related hassle and costs for travellers are still a challenge. Finally, although the overall impact of the influenza A(H1N1)
virus was milder until now than anticipated, experience from previous pandemics shows that the situation could once
again become challenging. 2010 will be characterised by a still quite rough business environment for the tourism sector
as revenues and yields are expected to recover at a slower pace than travel volumes.
International Tourist Arrivals, World (%change)
Source: WorldTourism Organization(UNWTO) 
6.2
4.5
2.8
3.8
7.9
0.0
2.9
-1.5
10.1
5.3 5.6
6.4
2.0
-4.3
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
96/95
97/96
98/97
99/98
00/99
01/00
02/01
03/02
04/03
05/04
06/05
07/06
08/0709*/08
Forecast2010
Long-term average Tourism 2020 Vision
5
Volume 8 ˇ No. 1 ˇ January 2010
Inbound Tourism: short-term trends 2009
World
(Continued from page 1)
Destinations in emerging economies, which currently
receive 47% of worldwide international tourist arrivals,
resisted last year's adverse environment relatively better
than advanced economies (based on IMF classification, see
www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/02/pdf/statapp.pdf).
As they count with less mature tourism sectors and more
dynamic economies, they clearly have a potential to faster
growth. In the past decades emerging economies tended to
outgrow advanced economies on average by some 2 to 3
percentage points a year. In 2009 they maintained this
differential, with arrivals decreasing by less than 3%
compared to the over 5% decline of advanced economies.
Full-year results for international tourist arrivals show
that, except for Africa, which bucked the global trend, all
world regions were negative in 2009. The Middle East,
Europe and the Americas were the hardest hit regions.
Preliminary estimates point to a 6% drop in arrivals for the
Middle East last year with, in line with trends for Asia, a
turnaround in the second half after a double-digit decline in
the first six months of 2009. As in 2008, Europe (-6%)
turned in one of the worst performances. Central, Eastern
and Northern Europe (-8%) were particularly affected,
while in the Americas (-5%), all subregions ended 2009
down on the previous year, but North and Central America
(both at -6%) recorded the largest decreases. The
Caribbean by contrast managed to sustain the decline due
to the recovery of the last four months of 2009. Asia and
the Pacific achieved the most impressive upturn, from a
International TouristArrivals, monthly evolution
World (million)
Source:WorldTourism Organization(UNWTO)
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2006
2007
2008
2009*
International Tourist Arrivals by (Sub)region
Fullyear Share Change Monthly or quarterly data series (%change over same period of the previousyear)
2000 2005 2008 2009* 2009* 08/07 2008 09*/08 2009
(million) (%) J.-J. J.-D. (%) J.-J. J.-D. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
World 682 802 920 880 100 2.0 5.8 -1.4 -4.3 -8.5 -0.7 -7.7 -10.2 -12.8 -1.6 -10.7 -7.6 -3.2 -2.5 -1.0 1.4 2.1 2.0
Advanced economies 423 451 495 468 53.1 -0.3 3.8 -3.6 -5.4 -9.7 -2.0 -5.4 -12.9 -16.7 0.8 -12.6 -9.8 -4.6 -2.6 -2.8 -0.5 1.5 0.7
Emergingeconomies 260 351 425 413 46.9 4.9 8.3 1.4 -2.9 -7.4 0.8 -10.3 -7.8 -8.8 -4.6 -8.7 -4.9 -1.4 -2.3 1.4 3.7 2.4 3.0
Europe 392.2 441.0 487.1 459.7 52.2 0.3 3.7 -2.4 -5.6 -9.8 -2.4 -7.5 -13.1 -17.6 -1.5 -11.5 -8.4 -3.2 -2.8 -3.2 -1.6 -0.4 -1.1
Northern Europe 43.7 52.8 57.0 52.6 6.0 -2.0 3.2 -6.1 -7.7 -9.6 -6.0 -8.7 -17.1 -13.6 -1.7 -14.5 -3.7 -5.2 -7.8 -5.5 -7.5 -3.5 -5.6
WesternEurope 139.7 141.7 152.4 145.8 16.6 -0.9 2.2 -3.3 -4.3 -9.8 -0.3 -1.8 -12.6 -22.7 1.6 -11.9 -8.6 -1.3 0.1 -2.6 0.6 2.8 1.2
Central/Eastern Eu. 69.3 87.5 99.7 91.6 10.4 3.2 5.4 0.9 -8.2 -11.6 -5.5 -12.7 -14.3 -14.2 -8.4 -11.2 -10.4 -5.8 -5.5 -5.8 -5.1 -5.5 -5.0
Southern/Mediter. Eu. 139.5 159.1 178.0 169.6 19.3 0.6 4.4 -2.1 -4.7 -8.9 -1.4 -8.8 -11.3 -16.0 0.6 -10.5 -8.8 -3.1 -2.6 -1.6 0.3 2.2 1.8
Asia andthePacific 110.1 153.6 184.1 180.5 20.5 1.1 5.7 -3.2 -1.9 -6.7 2.9 -4.8 -10.4 -6.7 -0.8 -10.1 -7.7 -5.5 3.3 4.4 3.4 6.6 5.7
North-East Asia 58.3 86.0 101.0 97.6 11.1 -0.1 5.6 -5.1 -3.3 -7.4 0.8 -4.7 -9.7 -8.2 -0.2 -11.6 -10.7 -6.9 5.8 -0.7 1.6 3.6 1.6
South-East Asia 36.1 48.5 61.7 62.0 7.0 3.5 7.2 -0.2 0.4 -5.9 7.1 -3.7 -12.3 -3.5 -2.9 -9.2 -3.8 -3.6 1.4 14.5 6.6 13.8 11.6
Oceania 9.6 11.0 11.1 10.9 1.2 -0.9 0.4 -2.2 -1.8 -4.7 1.0 -1.9 -8.6 -6.6 4.5 -5.1 -9.9 -7.9 -1.0 8.3 4.6 1.7 2.1
South Asia 6.1 8.1 10.3 10.0 1.1 1.1 4.2 -1.7 -2.8 -7.0 1.3 -15.0 -8.6 -11.7 1.0 -2.8 -1.0 -1.2 -5.7 -3.8 3.4 -0.2 12.9
Americas 128.2 133.3 147.1 139.6 15.9 3.0 6.4 -0.1 -5.1 -7.0 -3.2 -1.6 -5.2 -12.8 2.6 -12.3 -11.4 -6.8 -6.6 -2.2 0.2 -1.9 0.2
NorthAmerica 91.5 89.9 97.8 91.9 10.4 2.6 6.4 -0.4 -6.0 -8.8 -3.6 -1.9 -4.9 -14.4 2.4 -15.8 -14.2 -7.1 -6.4 -2.2 0.4 -2.8 -0.3
Caribbean 17.1 18.8 20.2 19.7 2.2 2.1 5.9 -2.2 -2.4 -5.3 1.3 -3.4 -6.7 -11.8 -1.9 -2.9 -3.1 -1.0 -4.0 7.2 4.1 1.7 3.1
CentralAmerica 4.3 6.3 8.3 7.8 0.9 7.0 11.4 2.8 -5.7 -7.4 -3.9 2.5 -8.3 -12.7 3.1 -15.6 -14.1 -9.1 -4.7 -4.4 -6.2 0.5 0.4
South America 15.3 18.3 20.8 20.1 2.3 3.7 5.2 2.2 -3.3 -1.3 -5.5 -0.7 -3.7 -6.9 9.5 0.2 -2.6 -10.3 -11.3 -7.5 -1.4 -2.0 -1.2
Africa 27.0 36.4 45.7 48.0 5.5 3.8 3.8 1.5 5.1 4.4 5.7 6.5 4.4 -3.0 11.1 4.8 3.1 5.5 -0.1 6.4 5.6 9.9 8.5
NorthAfrica 10.2 13.9 17.2 17.7 2.0 4.9 8.7 2.5 2.9 5.1 1.3 5.3 5.2 -2.5 16.6 4.6 2.3 4.7 -13.5 5.4 1.7 12.0 8.9
Subsaharan Africa 16.8 22.5 28.6 30.4 3.5 3.2 1.5 0.8 6.4 4.0 8.6 6.9 4.1 -3.2 8.1 4.9 3.8 6.5 13.5 6.9 7.7 9.0 8.3
Middle East 24.9 37.9 55.6 52.5 6.0 18.2 26.8 9.3 -5.6 -16.4 5.3 -37.0 -14.4 -8.4 -21.9 -12.8 5.6 5.6 -5.5 3.8 19.0 4.3 6.6
Source: WorldTourism Organization (UNWTO)  (Data as collectedby UNWTO January2010)
6
Volume 8 ˇ No. 1 ˇ January 2010
International Tourist Arrivals (%change over same period of the previous year)
Source: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 
-2
-1
3
1
0
3
-1
1
3 2
7
4
5
3
18
-8
-4
-8
-5
-3
0
-2 -3
-6
-2
-6
-3
3
6
-6
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
NorthernEuropeW
esternEurope
Central/EasternEurope
Southern/Mediter.Eu.North-EastAsiaSouth-EastAsia
Oceania
SouthAsiaNorthAmerica
CaribbeanCentralAmericaSouthAmerica
NorthAfrica
SubsaharanAfrica
Middle
East
08/07 09*/08
7% decline between January and June to a 3% growth in
the second half of the year. Not all subregions performed
as well, but though the region's yearly count was down
2%, South-East Asia managed to end the year with a slight
improvement over 2008's level. Africa was the clear
winner in the regional stakes, attracting an estimated 5%
growth and suffering only one month of decline (March
due to the fact that the Easter was in April in 2009 while in
the previous year it had been in March).
International Tourist Arrivals, monthly evolution
World (%change)
Source: WorldTourism Organization (UNWTO) 
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
2008 2009*
In absolute values, of the 40 million arrivals that
disappeared from 2008's count, Europe accounted for close
to 70%, or 27 million, as against 7 million for the
Americas, 3 million each for Asia and the Pacific and for
the Middle East. Africa on the other hand gained an
estimated 2 million arrivals in 2009.
As always, it is important to stress that figures at this
early moment in the year are preliminary estimates.
Statistics for individual countries are, in a limited number
of cases, based on full year data. In most cases, however,
they are based on 10-11 months of full year results, with
some based on a more limited part of the year. Also, not all
countries report monthly or quarterly data series through
the year, and in particular in the case of Subsaharan Africa
and Central and Eastern Europe, the subregional aggregate
is based on data for only a limited number of countries.
Countries with monthly data series available cover some
90% of worldwide arrivals. An assessment is made for
missing data (both months and countries) based on trends
for the (sub)region. In addition, data reported by countries
at this stage is generally provisional and can still be
revised. Experience, however, shows that the worldwide
estimate will be accurate at this time of the year. So,
although no major changes are expected to occur in terms
of trends, individual numbers and growth rates may still
vary.
Arguably, the last 12-18 months have been one of the
most challenging periods in tourism's history. Both
business and consumer confidence were bound to be
affected, especially with the continuing uncertainties about
unemployment and other factors such as exchange rates,
the availability of credit, and uncertainty over the A
(H1N1) influenza virus. However, data shows that,
following 14 months of declines (some fairly modest, but
with a deep through in the first half of last year), arrivals
returned to positive growth in October 2009. This recovery,
which is still fragile and uneven, is also reflected in the
UNWTO's Panel of Experts Confidence Index.
Among the key trends that marked 2009, the most
important was the poor performance of the business travel
market, as this is driven by business development and thus
directly related to the health of the world economy. The
impact was felt most strongly by airlines due to the sharp
fall in premium seat sales and in the high-end hotel market.
Demand for segments like meetings and incentives
plummeted in some countries, in part because companies
were reluctant to be seen spending on such items in a
recession and at a time when so many people were losing
their jobs. `Austerity chic' has become the new buzzword.
Budget and mid-market travellers were the first to cut back
on travel last year, but even more affluent consumers, used
to taking several trips a year, sacrificed secondary trips,
7
Volume 8 ˇ No. 1 ˇ January 2010
with the result that short-break travel suffered more than
longer holidays. Not surprisingly, long-haul destinations
were also more affected than short-haul points, and the
strong euro (against most currencies) resulted in a
continuing shift to destinations outside the eurozone.
Similar to previous crises, consumers tended to travel
closer to home during 2009. Several destinations have seen
domestic tourism endure the crisis better and even grow
significantly, often with the support of specific government
measures aimed at leveraging this trend. This was the case
among many other countries, of China, Brazil and Spain,
where the domestic market, representing a large share of
the total demand, contributed to partially offsetting the
decline in international tourism.
Detailed results for arrivals and receipts by country are
included in the `Regions'section on page 19.
Prospects for 2010
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has just recently
stated that the global recovery is occurring "significantly"
faster than expected, as compared with its October
assessment which already counted on a clear return of
economic growth in 2010 (+3.1% worldwide, with stronger
performance for emerging economies at +5.1%, alongside
a more sluggish one for advanced economies at +1.3%).
Against this backdrop and given the upturn in
international tourism figures and in other economic
indicators in recent months, UNWTO forecasts a growth in
international tourist arrivals of between 3% and 4% in
2010. By region, Asia is expected to continue showing the
strongest rebound, while Europe and the Americas are
likely to recover at a more moderate pace. Growth is
expected to return to the Middle East while Africa will
continue its positive trend benefiting from the extra boost
provided by the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
2010 provides several upside opportunities, while
naturally not eliminating downside risks.
Upside opportunities:
- Business and consumer confidence has picked up;
- Interest rates and inflation remain at historically low
levels and are expected to rise only moderately in the
short term;
- A slump is generally followed by a rebound due to
pent-up demand and destinations are expected to
actively leverage this opportunity;
- There is scope for a revival among source markets
which were hard hit in 2009, such as the UK or the
Russian Federation;
- The momentum of the spirit of cooperation and
partnership bred by the crisis is expected to be
maintained by stakeholders;
- The flexibility shown by the tourism sector in dealing
with rapid shifts in demand and volatile market
conditions has made it stronger;
- Crises provide an opportunity to address underlying
structural weaknesses and implement strategies fostering
sustainable development and the transformation to
the Green Economy.
Downside risks:
- Unemployment is the key challenge. The jobs crisis is
not over yet, particularly in major advanced economies
and many valuable human resources are still at
risk;
- Economic growth in major source markets, especially
in Europe and the USA, is still fragile;
- Stimulus measures are likely to be phased out due to
increasing public deficits while a number of advanced
economies may see increases in taxation, putting extra
pressure on household and company budgets;
- Oil prices remain volatile;
- Although the overall impact of the influenza A(H1N1)
virus was milder until now than anticipated,
experience from previous pandemics shows that the
situation could once again become challenging;
- Security threats and the potential of increased related
hassle and costs for travellers are still a challenge;
- Revenues and yields are expected to recover at a
slower pace than travel volumes.
UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer offers a unique overview of
short-term international tourism trends. It is developed by UNWTO
with the aim to provide all those directly or indirectly involved in
tourism with adequate up-to-date statistics and analysis in a timely
fashion. Each issue contains three regular sections: an overview of
short-term tourism trends including data on international tourist
arrivals, tourism receipts and expenditure for over 100 countries
worldwide and data on air transport on major routes; a retrospective
and prospective evaluation of current tourism performance by the
members of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts; and selected
economic data relevant for tourism. The UNWTO World Tourism
Barometer is updated in January, June and October.
Available in English, French and Spanish in print and PDF version
The World Tourism Organization is a specialized agency of the United
Nations and the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It
serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of
tourism know-how. Its membership includes 161 countries and territories and
more than 350 Affiliate Members representing local governments, tourism
associations and private sector companies including airlines, hotel groups and
tour operators.
The easy way to order UNWTO publications:
www.unwto.org/infoshop
For further information, please contact:
UNWTO Publications Department
Tel. (34) 91 567 8100 - Fax: (34) 91 571 3733
e-mail: pub@unwto.org
Cruise Tourism ­ Current Situation and Trends
Over the past years, worldwide demand for cruise tourism has posted
some of the biggest gains within the tourism sector. The constant
dynamism in cruise activity, as well as the increasing number of
countries that include cruises as a key product for their tourism
development, has led to update and expand the first edition of the
UNWTO study of 2003. This new study discusses subjects like the
current supply and demand for cruises as well as its characteristics
and trends. A new element includes the relationship between
destinations and cruise lines, analysing key factors such as
legislation, promotion and the economic impact of cruises through
reference cases. It presents current trends in this industry in terms of
innovation, safety and security, and sustainability, and identifies the
major lines that will shape the sector.
Available in Spanish, only
Price: 70, 3 issues
(PDF version)
100 (PDF and
print version)
Published: 2008
Price: 80
The Chinese Outbound Travel Market
with Special Insight into the Image of Europe as a
Destination
China is one of the fastest growing outbound markets in the world.
Rising incomes and relaxation of restrictions on foreign travel led to
a growth of 22% a year in trips abroad since 2000 (34.5 million in
2006). China ranks 5th worldwide in terms of spending on
international tourism (US$ 30 billion in 2007). In 1995, the World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicted that China would
generate 100 million arrivals worldwide by 2020, making it the
fourth largest market in the world (Tourism 2020 Vision). In view of
recent trends, China may reach that target well before 2020. To better
understand the structure and trends of this market is the aim of the
new ETC/UNWTO report The Chinese Outbound Travel Market with
Special Insight into the Image of Europe as a Destination.
Available in English
Published: 2008
Price: 75
Handbook on E-marketing for Tourism
Destinations
This handbook is the first of its kind for tourism destinations. It is a
practical `how-to' manual designed to help staff at national, regional
and city tourism organisations, to improve their e-marketing skills
and manage new projects. It covers all the basics such as web design,
search engine optimisation, social networking and e-commerce, and
advices among others on how to build better content, get distribution
of it, use CRM, succeed with online PR and get into mobile
marketing. Web analytics, online research methods, and performance
measurement get full treatment and new areas like digital television
are covered. Also, it includes over 30 examples of e-marketing in
action.
Available in English
Published: 2008
Price: 75
Handbook on Tourism Forecasting
Methodologies
Tourism demand is a complex phenomenon which can be affected by
an incredible number of different exogenous factors ­ economy, fuel
prices, infrastructure, natural disasters, the image of a destination,
etc. Therefore, tourism demand, in all of its different forms, is one of
the most difficult variables to foresee. Nonetheless, it gets more and
more important for destinations and private sector alike to anticipate
demand trends and use such knowledge as a basis of management
decisions and planning. This Handbook on Tourism Forecasting
Methodologies aims to be a simple guide to the complex world of
tourism forecasting. It presents the basic forecasting techniques,
their advantages and disadvantages as well as some practical
examples of such methodologies in action. It also includes a CD
where the methodologies are further explained and exemplified in an
excel file.
Available in English
Published: 2008
Price: 45
The Indian Outbound Travel Market with Special
Insight into the Image of Europe as a Destination
India is one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets in the
world. Trips abroad have grown from 3.7 (1997) to 9.8 million (2007)
and international tourism expenditure has increased from US$ 1.3
(1997) to US$ 8.2 billion (2008). With more than 1.1 billion
inhabitants and GDP increasing by more than 8% every year, the
country offers enormous potential for future growth in outbound
travel. Recognizing the importance of this market, the ETC and the
UNWTO have undertaken detailed research on the Indian outbound
market. This publication covers issues such as travellers' behaviour
and patterns ­ destination choice, purpose of travel, spending,
holiday activities and market segmentation, as well as the media or
internet use trends. The report also sets out recommendations on
how to best promote a destination in the Indian market.
Available in English
Published: 2009
Price: 75
Handbook on Tourism Destination Branding
All over, governments have become aware of tourism's power to
boost their nation's development and prosperity. As more tourism
destinations emerge and competition for visitors becomes more
intense, a destination's ability to project itself on the world stage and
differentiate itself from others is ever more important. Recognizing
the value of successfully building and managing a destination's
brand, the ETC and the UNWTO provide a useful and practical
handbook for both marketing novices and experienced destination
managers. Introduced by Simon Anholt, it offers a step-by-step guide
to the branding process accompanied by strategies for brand
management. Case studies illustrate the various concepts, present
best practices from around the world and provide fresh insight into
destination branding. It concludes with a section on evaluating brand
impact and a set of practical recommendations.
Available in English
Published: 2009
Price: 75
The Russian Outbound Travel Market with Special
Insight into the Image of Europe as a Destination
Russia is the 9th biggest outbound travel market in the world,
generating in 2007 US$ 22 billion in spending abroad. To better
understand the structure and trends of this growing market is the aim
of this ETC/UNWTO report, which identifies key trends in the
Russian outbound travel ­ among others, the market size and value,
growth in trip volume and spending, purpose of trip, destination
choice, the role of the travel trade and online distribution. In addition,
the publication provides information on government policy affecting
outbound travel, notably visa issues and traffic rights for foreign
airlines operating to/from the country. All this information is critical
to helping destinations and commercial operators plan ahead with
greater foresight, providing guidance on the short-term opportunities
and the longer-term potential for investment in this market.
Available in English
Published: 2009
Price: 75