Against the backdrop of global economic perspectives, international trade tensions, social unrest and geopolitical uncertainty, the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer has projected a global tourism sector of about 3 to 4 per cent growth in 2020 which represents the tenth consecutive year of growth.
According to the World Tourism Barometer which is a publication of the World Tourism Organisation that monitors short-term tourism trends regularly to provide global tourism stakeholders with up-to-date analysis on international tourism, major sporting events, including the Tokyo Olympics, and cultural events such as Expo 2020 Dubai are expected to have a positive impact on the sector in 2020.
Presenting the results, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed that despite the global uncertainties a growth of 3% to 4% is predicted for 2020.
“In these times of uncertainty and volatility, tourism remains a reliable economic sector. Against the backdrop of recently downgraded global economic perspectives, international trade tensions, social unrest and geopolitical uncertainty, our sector keeps outpacing the world economy and calling upon us to not only grow but to grow better”, he said.
The report further stated that 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded in 2019, globally. This represents a 4% increase on the previous year which is also forecast for 2020, confirming tourism as a leading and resilient economic sector.
All regions saw a rise in international arrivals in 2019. However, uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the collapse of Thomas Cook, geopolitical and social tensions and the global economic slowdown all contributed to slower growth in 2019, when compared to the exceptional rates of 2017 and 2018. This slowdown affected mainly advanced economies and particularly Europe and Asia and the Pacific.
According to the report, The Middle East has emerged as the fastest-growing region for international tourism arrivals in 2019, growing at almost double the global average (+8%). Growth in Asia and the Pacific slowed down but still showed above-average growth, with international arrivals up to 5%.
Europe, where growth was also slower than in previous years (+4%) continues to lead in terms of international arrivals numbers, welcoming 743 million international tourists last year (51% of the global market). The Americas (+2%) showed a mixed picture as many island destinations in the Caribbean consolidated their recovery after the 2017 hurricanes while arrivals fell in South America due partly to ongoing social and political turmoil. Limited data available for Africa (+4%) points to continued strong results in North Africa (+9%) while arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa grew slower in 2019 (+1.5%).
The report further stated that despite the global economic slowdown, tourism spending continued to grow, most notably among the world’s top ten spenders. France reported the strongest increase in international tourism expenditure among the world’s top ten outbound markets (+11%), while the United States (+6%) led growth in absolute terms, aided by a strong dollar.
However, some large emerging markets such as Brazil and Saudi Arabia reported declines in tourism spending. China, the world’s top source market saw outbound trips increase by 14% in the first half of 2019, though expenditure fell 4%.
Speaking further, Pololikashvili affirmed that Tourism keeps delivering much-needed opportunities.
“The number of destinations earning US$1 billion or more from international tourism has almost doubled since 1998. The challenge we face is to make sure the benefits are shared as widely as possible and that nobody is left behind. In 2020, UNWTO celebrates the Year of Tourism and Rural Development, and we hope to see our sector lead positive change in rural communities, creating jobs and opportunities, driving economic growth and preserving culture” he said.
This latest evidence of the strength and resilience of the tourism sector comes as the UN celebrates its 75th anniversary. During 2020, through the UN75 initiative, the UN is carrying out the largest, most inclusive conversation on the role of global cooperation in building a better future for all, with tourism to be high on the agenda.