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Global international tourist numbers topped 1.1 billion in 2014, an increase of 4.7% on the previous year, according to latest figures.
The Americas and Asia saw the strongest growth in international visitor numbers.
Europe continued to be the most visited region, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation World Tourism Barometer
The UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to grow between 3% and 4% in 2015.
Growth is expected to be stronger in Asia and the Pacific (+4% to +5%) and the Americas (+4% to +5%), followed by Europe (+3% to +4%).
Arrivals are expected to increase by +3% to +5% in Africa and by +2% to +5% in the Middle East.
UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai said: “We expect demand to continue growing in 2015 as the global economic situation improves even though there are still plenty of challenges ahead.
“On the positive side, oil prices have declined to a level not seen since 2009. This will lower transport costs and boost economic growth by lifting purchasing power and private demand in oil importing economies.
“Yet, it could also negatively impact some of the oil exporting countries which have emerged as strong tourism source markets.”
Rifai said: “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.
“This has been true for destinations all around the world, but particularly for Europe, as the region struggles to consolidate its way out of one of the worst economic periods in its history.”
A pickup in expenditure on international tourism from traditional source markets last year compensated for the slowdown of the large emerging markets, which had been driving tourism growth in previous years.
The total number of trips abroad from China is estimated to have increased by 11 million to 109 million in 2014. Expenditure was up by 17% in the first three quarters of 2014, a strong result but slower than in previous years – 40% in 2012 and 26% in 2013.
China is the world’s largest outbound market since 2012 with a total expenditure of $129 billion in 2013.
Among the other two main emerging markets, the Russian Federation (-6%) lost strength in 2014, while Brazil still grew by 2%, despite the appreciation of the US dollar against the Brazilian real and slower economic growth.
Beyond the top ten, some smaller emerging markets saw expenditure grow substantially, with Saudi Arabia, India, the Philippines and Qatar all reporting increases of 30% or more, according to the UNWTO.
A rise in demand from traditional source markets helped compensate for the slowdown of large emerging markets.
Expenditure from the US, the second largest outbound market in the world, grew by 6%. Noteworthy was the rebound of France (+11%), Italy (+6%) and the UK (+4%), the report said.