正文
Global tourism soars
From correspondents in Madrid
January 30, 2007 05:43am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
GLOBAL tourism hit a record high last year and China could soon surpass Spain as the world's second most popular destination, after France, the UN World Tourism Organisation said overnight.
A 4.5 per cent global rise in tourist numbers pushed the 2006 figure to a record 842 million, the Madrid-based UN agency said, forecasting an increase of 4 per cent this year.
As well as sending millions of tourists abroad in recent years, China is set to receive more visitors than Spain by 2010, UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli said.
"With its great tourist capacity, it could surpass Spain by 2010," he said.
UNWTO figures for last year showed arrivals to China had increased six per cent on the previous year at 49.6 million, despite higher costs due to an appreciating yuan, which gained about six per cent on the US dollar in the 18 months to the end of 2006.
Spain's tourist intake rose 4.5 per cent to 58.4 million last year, but Chinese growth is forecast to accelerate and overtake Spain in the coming four years, the UNWTO said.
"A country as big as China has more tourist capacity. China is generating a flux of tourism in the region," said John Kester, UNWTO director of market intelligence and promotion.
Figures for France were not immediately available but the UNWTO expects almost no change on the 75.9 million visitors in 2005.
Next year's Beijing Olympics will provide China with a boost.
The number of tourists from China has soared since Beijing signed an Authorised Destination Status accord with the European Union allowing its nationals to visit 22 EU states on a visa in 2004.
Legislation has since extended to open up 132 countries to mainland residents of the world's most populous nation.
"China is consolidating its status as Asia's largest outbound tourism market as 34.5 million Chinese travelled abroad in 2006," an 11 per cent rise on 2005, the UNWTO said, quoting the Ministry of Public Security.
Chinese tourist spending abroad rose 16 per cent in 2006 to an estimated $US25.3 billion ($32.8 billion), according to provisional figures.
A UNWTO report last year estimated Chinese tourists visiting foreign destinations would number 100 million by 2020, having already risen from 20 million in 2003 to 31 million in 2005.
Sector analysts say Chinese tourists will generate some $US94 billion ($122 billion) in revenues by 2020.
Mr Frangialli said India was also rising in popularity as a tourist destination, accounting for half of the 8.8 million visitors to South Asia, which saw 10.1 per cent growth in 2006.
Africa saw an 8 per cent rise in tourist numbers last year, claiming the title of "star performer" by the organisation, but still only had 4.8 per cent of the global share of tourists at 40.3 million.
Europe's incoming tourist numbers rose just 3.9 per cent - the same as the Middle East - despite adding 17 million to the 36 million global total, for an overall share of 54.4 per cent.
In the Americas, growth was sluggish at 2.1 per cent - just 0.5 per cent in North America - although South America registered a 7.1 per cent rise.
After an unprecedented 1.2 per cent decline in 2003, sparked by the war in Iraq, world tourism rebounded in 2004 with a 10 per cent surge in the number of visitors, followed by a 5.4 per cent rise in 2005 and 4.5 per cent last year.
"We have been in a phase of historic growth over the past three years," Mr Frangialli said.
From correspondents in Madrid
January 30, 2007 05:43am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
GLOBAL tourism hit a record high last year and China could soon surpass Spain as the world's second most popular destination, after France, the UN World Tourism Organisation said overnight.
A 4.5 per cent global rise in tourist numbers pushed the 2006 figure to a record 842 million, the Madrid-based UN agency said, forecasting an increase of 4 per cent this year.
As well as sending millions of tourists abroad in recent years, China is set to receive more visitors than Spain by 2010, UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli said.
"With its great tourist capacity, it could surpass Spain by 2010," he said.
UNWTO figures for last year showed arrivals to China had increased six per cent on the previous year at 49.6 million, despite higher costs due to an appreciating yuan, which gained about six per cent on the US dollar in the 18 months to the end of 2006.
Spain's tourist intake rose 4.5 per cent to 58.4 million last year, but Chinese growth is forecast to accelerate and overtake Spain in the coming four years, the UNWTO said.
"A country as big as China has more tourist capacity. China is generating a flux of tourism in the region," said John Kester, UNWTO director of market intelligence and promotion.
Figures for France were not immediately available but the UNWTO expects almost no change on the 75.9 million visitors in 2005.
Next year's Beijing Olympics will provide China with a boost.
The number of tourists from China has soared since Beijing signed an Authorised Destination Status accord with the European Union allowing its nationals to visit 22 EU states on a visa in 2004.
Legislation has since extended to open up 132 countries to mainland residents of the world's most populous nation.
"China is consolidating its status as Asia's largest outbound tourism market as 34.5 million Chinese travelled abroad in 2006," an 11 per cent rise on 2005, the UNWTO said, quoting the Ministry of Public Security.
Chinese tourist spending abroad rose 16 per cent in 2006 to an estimated $US25.3 billion ($32.8 billion), according to provisional figures.
A UNWTO report last year estimated Chinese tourists visiting foreign destinations would number 100 million by 2020, having already risen from 20 million in 2003 to 31 million in 2005.
Sector analysts say Chinese tourists will generate some $US94 billion ($122 billion) in revenues by 2020.
Mr Frangialli said India was also rising in popularity as a tourist destination, accounting for half of the 8.8 million visitors to South Asia, which saw 10.1 per cent growth in 2006.
Africa saw an 8 per cent rise in tourist numbers last year, claiming the title of "star performer" by the organisation, but still only had 4.8 per cent of the global share of tourists at 40.3 million.
Europe's incoming tourist numbers rose just 3.9 per cent - the same as the Middle East - despite adding 17 million to the 36 million global total, for an overall share of 54.4 per cent.
In the Americas, growth was sluggish at 2.1 per cent - just 0.5 per cent in North America - although South America registered a 7.1 per cent rise.
After an unprecedented 1.2 per cent decline in 2003, sparked by the war in Iraq, world tourism rebounded in 2004 with a 10 per cent surge in the number of visitors, followed by a 5.4 per cent rise in 2005 and 4.5 per cent last year.
"We have been in a phase of historic growth over the past three years," Mr Frangialli said.
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