| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 28/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 35 |
| Copyright: Other |
Arrivals
Pacific Asia sees arrivals soar by 6.1%
Report by TERESA MACHAN
THE Pacific Asia region has seen visitor arrivals increase for the first quarter of this year, with countries in the northeast showing the most solid growth.Figures from the Pacific Asia Travel Association revealed that the number of visitors to northeast Asia had increased by almost 19% on the same period last year to produce in excess of 27.2 million arrivals, with China and Macau coming out on top. Singapore was the strongest performer in Southeast Asia.
PATA’s annual statistical report also showed that last yearwas a very successful period, with visitor levels in many countries returning to those seen before the economic crisis in the late ’90s.
PATA’s managing director strategic information centre John Koldowski said:”We witnessed a 6.1% increase in international arrivals across the region, significantly above the global average growth rate of 4.1%.”
Malaysia saw visitor figures for last year rise by 42.9%, an increase of almost 2.4 million arrivals on 1998, making it the region’s best-performingcountry.
Peninsular Malaysia recorded 7,483, 823 arrivals, an increase of 43.8%; Sabah recorded 142,987, a 34.3% increase, and Sarawak recorded 264,285 arrivals, constituting a 35.5% increase.
The region’s airline industry has also benefited from the positive arrival figures, with the number of passengers carried on international services within Asia increasing by 9.6% last year, compared with minimal growth in other regions.
Penang, Malaysia: visitor volumes increased by 42.9% last year, a gain of around 2.4 million on 1998