International tourism recovered strongly in 2010 with a seven percent increase in worldwide arrivals to 935 million compared to the four percent decline in 2009.
The figures released by the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer highlighted that the growing number of international tourist arrivals exceeded the pre-GFC peak of 913 million by 22 million.
According to the barometer, tourism into Asia was the first to recover and rose to its highest ever level of international of 204 million.
Middle East tourism figures returned to double digits with a 14 percent increase to 60 million while Africa saw a six percent rise to 49 million. The Americas experienced an eight percent increase to 151 million travellers while Europe only received a three percent growth to 471 million.
The UNWTO report said that while 2010 saw the industry’s recovery, 2011 growth be at a slower pace between four percent to five percent.
