Global Tourism in Review – From 25 million in 1950 to 1.4 billion in 2018 – The growing role of tourism in the world’s economy (Part 1)

Tourism is on the rise. In 2018 there were a record 1.4bn international tourist arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNTWO), a rise of 6% over 2017. That doesn’t mean 1.4 billion people travel abroad for their holidays, as many people will clock up more than one trip.

But it does mean tourism is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy. In 2018, it was worth about $1.7tn (£1.3tn), or about 2% of total global GDP. Even the UNWTO is struggling to keep up, with current figures vastly exceeding expectations.

In 1950 there were 25m international tourist visits, rising to 166m in 1970, and 435m in 1990.

The growth of budget airlines has made travelling more accessible.

According to the UNWTO, four-fifths of tourists travel within their own region. Continuing a long term trend, Europe leads the way in overseas visits, receiving 713 million visitors last year alone.

Globally, France leads the way, followed by Spain, the US, China and Italy. The UK is the seventh most visited country in the world.

However, other regions are on the rise. Last year, trips to North Africa rose 10%, and tourism to sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East is also increasing, as demand for unconventional destinations grows.

The number of tourists produced by a country tends to correlate with its income and population.

China’s rising wealth has resulted in a huge growth of tourism abroad, making Chinese people the world’s most abundant tourists. In 2017, Chinese tourists made 143m journeys abroad, followed by Germany (92m), the US (87.8m) and the UK (74.2m).

Via The Guardian