International Tourist Arrivals Reach Record 1.13 Billion in 2014
Skift Take
Global travel set a new record in 2014.
A total 1.13 billion travelers crossed borders in 2014, an increase of 51 million travelers over the 1.087 arrivals recorded in 2013, according to data released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization today.
This is the fifth consecutive year of growth since 2009.
“Over the past years, tourism has proven to be a surprisingly strong and resilient economic activity and a fundamental contributor to the economic recovery by generating billions of dollars in exports and creating millions of jobs," UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai said at the opening of the Spain Global Tourism Forum in Madrid.
All regions saw significant growth in tourist arrivals, which the chart below details.
| Region | Growth '13 v '14 (%) |
|---|---|
| Americas | 7% |
| North America | 8% |
| Asia and the Pacific | 5% |
| North-East Asia | 7% |
| South Asia | 7% |
| Europe | 4% |
| South and Mediterranean Europe | 7% |
| Northern Europe | 7% |
| Caribbean | 7% |
| Middle East | 4% |
| Africa | 2% |
More granular data on growth for individual countries can be expected to be released in the coming weeks.
A strengthening global economy combined with explosive outbound growth from several developing markets have led to several years of tourism growth that shows little sign of slowing down.
In fact, the UNWTO also reported a positive outlook for 2015 with expectations for 4 percent growth. Growth is expected to be strongest in Asia and the Pacific and the Americas, followed by Europe.
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