Tourism spending surpasses US$2b a day

Africa was the fastest growing region with a 10 per cent increase, followed by the Middle East 9.5 per cent, Asia and the Pacific 7.8 per cent, Americas 6.1 per cent and Europe 4.0 per cent.

Visitor spending continues its strong overall growth.'

Spending by tourists abroad now averages more than US$2 billion a day says the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

An estimated US$682 billion was spent abroad by tourists in 2005 - up $49 billion or 3.4 per cent on the previous year.

If spending on foreign passenger transport of $130 billion is added, the total export spend is more than $800 billion. This represents some 6 per cent of global export of all goods and services.

a significant success story

"Visitor spending continues its strong overall growth" said UNWTO Secretary General Francesco Frangialli "contributing substantially to global services exports and particularly to the overall trade balances of developing economies. Africa's 7.8 per cent increase is a significant success story."

In absolute terms all regions shared in the increase on visitor spending. Europe was up US$19 billion, to US$347 billion (51 per cent of the world total). The Americas, up US$13 billion to US$145 billion (21 per cent). Asia and the Pacific, US$11 billion higher at US$139 billion (20 per cent). The Middle East up US$3 billion to US$29 billion (four per cent) and Africa up US$2 billion to US$21 billion.

In growth terms, the order reverses, Africa (up 7.8 per cent), the Middle East (5.8 per cent), Asia and the Pacific (4.5 per cent), Americas (4.3 per cent), and Europe (2.3 per cent).

In comparison to receipts, international tourist arrivals grew by 5.6 per cent in 2005. Again, Africa was the fastest growing region with a 10 per cent increase, followed by the Middle East 9.5 per cent, Asia and the Pacific 7.8 per cent, Americas 6.1 per cent and Europe 4.0 per cent.

slower pace of growth

The somewhat slower pace of growth in receipts against arrivals is attributed to the fragile recovery of high-yield business tourism, a comparatively strong increase in short breaks - stimulated by low-cost airlines - and a shift towards destinations offering perceived value for money.

Tourism development in Africa has been quite successful in the past couple of years, with the number of international arrivals growing from 28.2 per cent to 36 per cent, in spite of the concerns about terrorism and SARS and the economic downturn of 2001-2003. In the same period receipts even doubled from US$10.5 billion to US$21.3 billion.