CAIRO – Since the world's major economies were first hit by a severe meltdown in September 2008, global tourism has been struggling to survive and overcome the huge challenges largely resulting from the state of uncertainty affecting tourists, holi- daymakers and tour operators. Consequently, unemployment has been soaring after radical changes in the market with last minute booking appearing to be the trend in global tourist markets. The financial crisis has also compelled tourists to book on short-distance or domestic trips rather than long hauls. Woes threatening the global tourism increased after oil prices soared and there- by led to more expensive air tickets. Blows being dealt to tourist destinations increased, when European countries, such as Germany and the UK, ordered air passengers to pay more to board their planes. The two countries stated that the proceeds of the new air passenger tax would be used for saving the environment. Tourism industry in the Middle East has been caught in extraordinary circumstances after the eruption of uprisings, which have become known as the Arab Spring. A report published by Dr.Taleb Rifai, the UNWTO Secretary-General gave a dramatic pic- ture of tourism in the Middle East. The report states that although the global tourism had managed somehow to overcome its challenges and maintain a growth rate between four and five per cent, tourism activities in the Middle East and North Africa plummeted in the first four months in 2011. Int'l tourism maintains momentum International tourist arrivals grew by 4.5 per cent in the first four months of 2011, despite new chal- lenges emerging since the beginning of the year. According to the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, growth was positive in all regions with the exception of the Middle East. Some subregions achieved double-digit growth: South America (+17 per cent), South Asia (+14 per cent) and South-East Asia (+10 per cent). “Global tourism continues to consolidate the recovery of 2010 despite the impact of recent developments in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the tragic events in Japan, which are tem- porarily affecting travel flows to these regions. We should nonetheless remain vigilant as we face other persisting uncertainties such as high unemployment and increased public austerity measures,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. UNWTO expects that destinations currently fac- ing difficulties will see demand recover towards the end of the year. “It is time to support those destina- tions and help their tourism sectors to rebound, contributing to overall economic and social stabili- ty and progress,” Mr. Rifai added. Short-term prospects remain largely favourable, as reflected in the UNWTO Confidence Index based on a survey among the UNWTO Panel of Experts. In spite of the changed circumstances, the over 350 participating experts worldwide maintain a positive outlook for the period May-August. Europe leading tourism growth Between January and April 2011 destinations worldwide recorded 268 million international tourist arrivals, some 12 million more compared to the 256 million registered in the same period in 2010. April was the strongest month with an estimated increase of 6 per cent. This reflects a late Easter holi- day and contrasts with the weak April of 2010 when European airspace was closed for nearly a week due to the ash cloud following the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. January (+6 per cent) was also strong, while February and March were comparatively weaker (both at around 3 per cent). Europe exceeded expectations (+6 per cent) and posted the highest growth in the first four months of 2011. Results reflect a delayed recovery in various European destinations and source markets, the late Easter holiday and the compensation for the negative month of April 2010, affected by the volcanic ash cloud. Destinations in Northern, Eastern and Southern Europe performed particularly well. Growth in Asia and the Pacific (+5 per cent) was in line with the world average, but slightly below previ- ous prospects. Asia, and in particular North-East Asia, suffered the impact of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which affected both its inbound and outbound travel, as well as intra-regional travel from other mar- kets. In the Americas, international tourist arrivals increased by 5 per cent, driven by the strong results of South America, which contrasted with the below average growth of North and Central American desti- nations. The Middle East (-14per cent) and North Africa (- 11per cent) have been considerably affected by recent developments. Nonetheless, some destinations in the Middle East have shown particularly positive results, such as Saudi Arabia and Dubai (United Arab Emirates), demonstrating the dynamism of the sector in the region. Within Africa (+2 per cent), arrivals to Sub-Saharan Africa (+8 per cent) stand out. Positive outlook for res of year As the peak tourist season gets underway in the northern hemisphere, short-term prospects remain positive. This is reflected in the UNWTO Confidence Index, a short-term outlook based on consultations with over 350 experts worldwide, which remains largely optimistic for the period May-August 2011. There are, however, marked differences in the con- fidence levels for different world regions, with experts in the Americas and Europe anticipating the best out- comes. Confidence remains high in Africa, but lower than might have been expected in Asia and the Pacific. Experts in the Middle East are the least optimistic. “The sustained optimism shown by the UNWTO Confidence Index is reassuring, especially as we still face many factors, which could dampen growth. While global economic prospects indicate an improved second half of the year, UNWTO remains alert to social instability in certain parts of the world, volatile oil prices and concerns over fiscal stability in the USA and Europe,” said Dr. Rifai. UNWTO maintains its forecast for international tourist arrivals in 2011 at between 4 per cent and 5 per cent, slightly above the long-term average and in line with previous assessments. The developments in the Middle East, North Africa and Japan are not expected to significantly alter the global forecast.
