Asia heads for travel record in 2010

ITB World Travel Trends Report has recently been released, presenting Asia Pacific as one of the most dynamic regions for world tourism in 2010. The ITB World Travel Trends Report found that Asian outbound travel showed a strong growth of 15 per cent over the first eight months and is expected to end the year showing a 14 per cent rise on 2009. Moreover, the data presented that this year saw the outbound travel increasing at double-digit rates and is expected to end this year well ahead of 2008 levels, thus setting a new record.

 

Additionally, the report revealed that the booming outbound Asian markets this year are China, South Korea and Malaysia, which are all increasing at more than 20 per cent, while Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and India are also growing at double-digit rates. Executive director, ITB Asia, Nino Gruettke commented: “These figures confirm the optimism that people were already demonstrating at this year’s ITB Asia in October. Prospects are looking good for 2011.” Moreover, the report included that in terms of destinations, 76 per cent of Asian trips are to countries within the region, while 13 per cent are to Europe and 10 per cent to the Americas.

 

Asia Pacific is also expected to increase its share of the overall world outbound travel market this year. Based on the ITB report results, at present Asia accounts for 18 per cent of world outbound tourism, compared to 59 per cent for Europe but is already ahead of the Americas with 17 per cent. Taking into consideration such a dynamic Asian tourism growth, the region is expected to continue winning market share in the years to come. Looking further ahead, both China and India also have the potential to develop into attractive outbound markets in the years to come, according to chair professor of tourism, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Haiyan Song, who said:  “China’s emergence as the new superpower will define the global economy, as well as world tourism over the next 20 years.”

-TTG MENA.