Asia is the new king of tourism and everyone else is along for the ride
Photo Caption: In 2013, tourism spending by visitors is expected to grow by 5.6%, highest among all regions. WTTC data.
Skift Take
The rise of one tourism economy must mean the fall of another, and in this case, Asia is going to keep on glowing through 2013, while the previous stalwarts in Europe struggle just to stay in the game.
One billion tourists crossed borders in 2012, a shocking and significant number, but one that means little without looking at the impact it has on our economies and livelihoods.
Last year, travel and tourism created five million new jobs bringing the number of industry-related jobs to a total of 260 million. That means one in every 11 jobs deals with the tourism industry.
The industry was also responsible for $6.6 trillion, or nine percent, of the global GDP in 2012. This contribution is expected to grow 3.2 percent next year.
Despite setback from a global recession, travel and tourism is expected to continue growing in most areas around the world.
For a quick snap shot, we've used data from the World Travel and Tourism Council to compare travel and
