The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has reported in its World Tourism Barometer for March 2012 that there has been an increase in international tourists to around 88 countries, compared to March 2011, while only 15 countries have reported a decline in tourist influx.
Tourists seemed to be taking holidays in the full year 2011, in spite of natural calamities, political upheavals, and financial insecurities. Europe has recorded 671 million international arrivals between the period of January and August in 2011, which represents a 4.5 percent increase on the same period in 2010.
Calum MacDonald, the online marketing manager at Holiday Hypermarket, said, ‘Despite economic difficulties in Eurozone countries, the travel industry has not only survived 2011 but international arrivals actually increased. Looking forward to holidays in Turkey or holidays in Cyprus in summer seems to be one of the best ways for people to get through tougher times. This is an indication that while the world economy is growing and experiencing change, tourism and holidays remain one of the few non-negotiable events on peoples’ calendars.’
Forecasts for 2012 include increase in total international arrivals of between 3 percent and 4 percent, while information from 50 countries in January 2012 has showed growth in tourism for around 37 countries. Around 42 percent of the countries reporting growth have indicated the increase to be more than 10 percent.
