Chapter 2
WORLD TOURISM: AN OVERVIEW
HISTORICAL TREND
International Tourism in past half-century has been marked
foremost by its tremendous expansion. Between 1950 and 2000 the number of
arrivals has shown an evolution from a mere 25 million international arrivals
to 698 million in 2000, corresponding to an average growth rate of 7 %. This
strong overall expansion is also characterized by its geographical spread among
Asian, North African, South American and Caribbean destinations. Numerous
countries in those regions has turned tourism as a primarily source of wealth.
More than 70 countries receive over one million international visitors a
year.
INTERNATIONAL TOURISM IN 2000
World Tourism statistics has traditionally used measurement such
Tourist Arrivals and International Tourist Receipts. According to the World
Tourism Organization (WTO), world tourism grew by an estimated 7.4% in 2000
spurred on by a strong global economy and special events held to commemorate
the new millennium. Nearly 50 million more international trips were made in
2000, the
same number of new tourists as major destinations such Spain or
the United States receive in one year. The number of international arrivals in
2000 totaled 698 million, according to preliminary results released in January
2001 by the WTO. Receipts from international tourism also climbed to US$476
Billion, an increase of 4.5% over the previous year, translating into receipts
per arrival of US$681. All regions of the world hosted more tourists in 2000,
although the fastest developing areas continued to be East Asia and the
Pacific. Countries in Western Mediterranean performed well in 2000 as tourists
shunned away from destinations in East Mediterranean Sea, perceived as to close
to the conflict in Kosovo. Turkey made a great come back with 39.6 %increase in
visitor despite political problems and the 1998 earthquake disaster.
International arrivals to Morocco, for example rose by 7. 4 % in 2000, totaling
4.1 million tourist arrivals, following an excellent 21.6 % increase in 1999
over the previous year.
REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
Africa and Middle East: Africa is still left out
of tourism boom despite an enormous potential. While Kenya, Egypt and Morocco
enjoyed strong growth, two of Africa's biggest destinations, (South Africa and
Zimbabwe) suffered setbacks.
Table 1
Top Destination in Africa and the Middle East
|
Top Destinations
|
Arrivals in 2000
|
% Of change
|
1. South Africa
|
6,108,000
|
+ 1.4%
|
2. Egypt
|
5,150,000
|
+14.7%
|
3. Tunisia
|
5,057,000
|
+4.7%
|
4. Morocco
|
|
4,100,000
|
+7.4%
|
|
|
5.Israel
|
2,400,000
|
+3.8%
|
|
6.Jordan
|
1,256,000
|
-7.5%
|
|
7.Kenya
|
1,226,000
|
+ 30.0%
|
|
8.Zimbabwe
|
840,000
|
-60.0%
|
Source: With reference to WTO
Americas: Central America continued to record
the biggest growth in the American continent (+8.8%), while the United States
showed a solid 8.7% increase despite the strength of the US dollar.
Table 2
Top Destinations in the Americas
|
Top Destinations
|
Arrivals in 2000
|
% Of change
|
1. United States
|
52,690,000
|
+8.7%
|
2. Canada
|
20,423,000
|
+4.9%
|
3. Mexico
|
20,000,000
|
+5.0%
|
4. Brazil
|
5,190,000
|
+1.6%
|
5. Puerto Rico
|
3,094,000
|
+2.3%
|
6. Argentina
|
2,988,000
|
+3.1%
|
7. Dominican Republic
|
2,977,000
|
+ 12.4%
|
8. Uruguay
|
1,968,000
|
-5.1%
|
9. Chile
|
|
1,71 9,000
|
+6.0%
|
|
|
10.Cuba
|
1,700,000
|
+8.9%
|
Source: With reference to WTO
East Asia and Pacific: This part of the world
saw important growth driven by China and Honk-Kong. South East Asia especially
Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam is becoming one of the world's favorite
destination in the world.
Table 3
Top Destinations in East Asia
|
Top Destinations
|
Arrivals in 2000
|
% Of change
|
1. China
|
31,236,000
|
+15.5%
|
2. Hong Kong
|
13,059,000
|
+ 15.3%
|
3. Malaysia
|
10,000,000
|
+26.1%
|
4. Thailand
|
9,574,000
|
+ 10.5%
|
5. Singapore
|
7,000,000
|
+11.9%
|
6. Macao
|
6,682,000
|
+32.3%
|
7. South Korea
|
5,336,000
|
+ 14.5%
|
8. Indonesia
|
5,012,000
|
+6.0%
|
9. Australia
|
4,882,000
|
+ 9.5%
|
10. Japan
|
|
4,758,000
|
+7.2%
|
|
Source: With reference to WTO
Europe: The star performer remains Europe with
some 300 million international visitors fueled by Expo 2000 in Germany and the
Vatican Jubilee in Italy. However East Europe is making a come back after the
Kosovo war and Turkey made a strong come back after the natural disaster in
1998.
Table 4
Top Destinations in Europe
|
Top Destinations
|
Arrivals in 2000
|
% Of change
|
1. France
|
74,000,000
|
+2%
|
2. Spain
|
53,600,000
|
+3.7%
|
3. Italy
|
41,182,000
|
+12.8%
|
4. United Kingdom
|
24,900,000
|
-1.9%
|
5. Russian Federation
|
22,783,000
|
+23.2%
|
6. Germany
|
18,916,000
|
+10.5%
|
7. Poland
|
18,183,000
|
+1.3%
|
8. Austria
|
17,81 8,000
|
+2.0%
|
9. Hungary
|
15,571,000
|
+8.1%
|
10. Greece
|
12,500,000
|
+2.8%
|
11. Portugal
|
|
12,000,000
|
+3.2%
|
|
|
14. Turkey
|
9,623,000
|
+39.6%
|
Source: With reference to WTO
All those figures shows that South East Asia is undoubtedly the
fastest growing tourism region in the world and it is likely to keep this trend
for years to come. As West European destinations are becoming more saturated,
and with
WTO's projections of 1 billion International Tourism Arrivals in
2010, regional competition is likely to accentuate, particularly between
Mediterranean and South East Asia tourist destinations.
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