UNWTO: International tourism growth easing slightly after two years of exceptional growth

UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) released (21-May-2019) its 1Q2019 World Tourism Barometer. Key highlights include:

• Europe, the world's largest tourism region, reported solid growth of 4% year-on-year. The growth was led by destinations in Southern and Mediterranean Europe and Central and Eastern Europe (both +5%);
• The Middle East was the fastest growing region at 8%;
• Growth in Africa was up 4%, driven by the ongoing recovery in North Africa (+11%);
• In the Americas growth was only 3%. Travel to the Caribbean (+17%) rebounded strongly after weak results in 2018, following the impact of hurricanes Irma and Maria in late 2017;
• In the Asia Pacific, 1Q2019 traffic grew 6%, led by North-East Asia (+9%) and a very solid performance from the Chinese market.

UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili reported international tourism "continues to perform strongly worldwide fuelled by a positive economy, increased air capacity and visa facilitation", although he noted that growth in arrivals is "easing slightly after two years of exceptional results, but the sector continues to outpace the global rate of economic growth". [more - original PR]