Tourism 2015
The number of international tourist visits increased by 4.4% in 2015, reaching 1,184 million according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Organization data.
In 2015, almost 50 million more tourists travelled abroad, compared with 2014 2015, the sixth consecutive year, with an increase in tourism: the number of international tourism visits increased by 4 per cent and more since 2010.
♪International tourism reached a new peak in 2015. High tourism indicators have a positive impact on economic growth and job creation around the world. Therefore, it is so important that countries promote policies aimed at fostering tourism growth, including travel facilitation, human resources development and sustainable development, stated by the Secretary-General of UNWTO, Thaleb Rifa.
Overall, demand was high, although data differed in different directions owing to exchange rate fluctuations, the decline in oil and other commodity prices, resulting in higher incomes in importing countries and lower incomes in exporting countries.
" The results of 2015 have been significantly affected by changes in currencies, oil prices and the crisis around the world. In the current climate of concern, security issues are a matter of concern, and we must bear in mind that tourism development depends to a large extent on our common opportunities to develop opportunities for safe travel. In this context, UNWTO calls on national Governments to include tourism management in national security planning, not only to minimize the vulnerability of the tourism sector to threats, but also to maximize security support and travel restrictions, it adds.
Growth in the developed countries (+5%) has surpassed growth in the developing countries (+4%), with Europe (+5%). Europe, both America, Asia and ATP, all of these regions saw an increase of 5 per cent in 2015.
Tourism visits to countries in the Middle East increased by 3 per cent, and in Africa, where access to data was limited, there was a decrease of 3 per cent, mainly due to weak North African countries, which account for more than one third of all tourism visits to the region.
