The latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer highlights that growth in advanced economy destinations (up five per cent) exceeded that of emerging economies (up four per cent) in 2015, boosted by the solid results of Europe (up five per cent). By region, Europe, the Americas and Asia and the Pacific all recorded around five per cent growth in international arrivals in 2015, while the Middle East increased by three per cent while Africa saw an estimated three per cent decrease, mostly due to weak results in North Africa, which accounts for over one third of arrivals in the region.
The first UNWTO East Africa Tourism Development Forum gathered regional tourism leaders and stakeholders to identify opportunities to maximise sustainable tourism development through regional collaboration.
Despite being a high impact economic activity, a major job generator and key export sector, accounting for 6 percent of total world trade, tourism receives only 0.78 percent of the total Air for Trade disbursements and 0.097 percent of the total Official Development Assistance.
Visa facilitation, open skies and the need to adapt the market requirements in the promotion of intra-regional tourism in the MENA region were all discussed at the 2015 UNWTO and ATM Ministerial Forum on Intra-Arab tourism.
The Routes Team recently attended ITB Berlin and had the chance to address the UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting to discuss the upcoming Routes Silk Road event in Georgia
The UNWTO Silk Road Programme is a collaborative initiative designed to enhance sustainable tourism development along the historic Silk Road route, Alla Peressolova, programme manager, UNWTO Silk Road, told The HUB Daily on the sidelines of the second day of the Routes Silk Road Strategy Summit
Sponsored by the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia, the Routes Silk Road Strategy Summit brings together leading industry experts to debate air service and route development issues affecting commercial aviation across Silk Road area in a series of addresses, presentations and moderator led panel discussions.
