International Tourism Forecast

International Tourism Forecast 2008|Tourism Directory |

The results reflect the support of a strong world economy that has experienced its longest period of sustained growth for 25 years, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Francesco Frangialli.“While mature markets remain the leading destinations in the world, the faster growth rate of new markets confirms UNWTO’s main message of tourism’s potential for the developing world. ”Mr. Frangialli warned the sector to be prepared for signs of weakening following the recent economic downturn in some major economies. But based on past experience and the sector’s proven resilience, UNWTO does not expect growth to halt. The World Tourism Barometer showed arrivals for 2007 reaching 898 million. Expenditures are predicted to show a similar growth rate to arrivals after lagging behind in the previous two years.