UNWTO World Tourism Barometer rising, Iraq and SARS influences not yet overcome

Madrid, 29 October 2003 - International tourism results generally have improved over the past four months. But while many destinations are showing clear signs of a revival of demand, it will still take some time to overcome the damage caused by the Iraqi conflict and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), explains the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

According to the second issue of the WTO World Tourism Barometer, which was presented at the World Tourism Organization 15th General Assembly in Beijing some days ago, trends still vary. As some parts of the world suffered more than others, so recovery in these regions is taking longer.

In the first four months of the year, results were influenced by the Iraqi conflict and from April onwards by the emergence of SARS. While travel confidence was gradually restored after the war, it was further dented by terrorist attacks in Riyadh, Casablanca, Jakarta and Mumbai. "However these had far less impact than expected as the public seems to have grown accustomed to living in an unsafe world," said UNWTO Chief of Market Intelligence and Promotion, Mr Augusto Huéscar.

According to the data available on arrivals for more than one hundred countries, most destinations have made headway in overcoming the damage caused by the Iraqi war and SARS. The some 140 members of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts confirmed there were positive trends in the market and remained optimistic for the remainder of 2003. Growth expectations ranged from "equal to better than might reasonably have been expected." The panel rated prospects for the coming four months at an average 3.6 on a scale of one (1) to five (5). Expectations have clearly improved in Asia and the Pacific (4.0), and are also higher than average in Africa and the Middle East (both 3.8).