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Travellers Spent Above $1 Trillion in 2011

In 2011 international tourism reached an important milestone – for the first time the overall sum of receipts exceeded US$1 trillion. This is significantly more than $928 billion in 2010. This information has been published by UNWTO Tourism Barometer.

The total number of receipts grew by 3.8%. This increase was surely geared up by the overall growth of the number of tourist arrivals of 4.6%. International passenger transport added US$196 billion, so together with this sum we can tell that international tourism generated exports of US$1.2 trillion in 2011.

The fact that international tourism receipts broke one more record is definitely a good sign of recovery from 2009 crisis. The largest increase in receipts is found in the Americas – 5.7% up. Europe occupies the second place with the increase of 5.2%, followed by Asia Pacific (4.3% up) and Africa (2.2% up). The only region with negative result is the Middle East – down 14%.

In absolute numbers Europe kept the leading position in 2011. The share of international tourist receipts for this region estimates 45% or US$463 billion. Asia Pacific occupies the share of 28%, and both Americas – 19%. The share of the Middle East is 4% (US$46 billion) and the share of Africa is 3% (US$33 billion).

Currently international tourism accounts for 30% of the global exports of services. The share of the industry in the overall exports of goods and services is 6%. If we look at the international structure of export, tourism ranks just after fuel, chemicals and food. In many developing countries it ranks even higher.

22.05.2012

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