PATA: Destinations across Asia Pacific welcomes 570m foreign arrivals in 2015

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) reported (10-May-2016) destinations across Asia Pacific welcomed 570 million foreign arrivals in 2015, an increase of 4.1% year-on-year, setting a new record for international arrivals into the region. Strong performances were seen at Vietnam into Macau (+226%), Saudi Arabia into Mexico (+148%) and China into Palau (+121%). PATA CEO Mario Hardy said: "A number of changes throughout the year were instrumental in producing such strong gains for a number of destinations, including the relaxation of visa requirements and of course additional capacity into certain destinations. The modification of visa regulations to allow for online visa processing and in a few destinations, the more complete liberalisation of the process itself, has validated those actions with stronger arrival rates. This has occurred without any compromise of the safety and security of those destinations. There is a lesson there for all of us that security and ease of access can work well together if given a chance." [more - original PR]