A total of 55 million tourists visited the Middle East last year, six percent of the total international tourist arrivals of 980 million. UN's World Tourism Organization has said, 'Tourism arrivals to the region slumped eight percent in 2011 but the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman still recorded "steady growth'.
The Middle East lost five million tourists last year due to the impact of the Arab Spring but UNWTO forecasts a recovery in visitor numbers in the Middle East this year, adding that the region will see up to a five percent increase.
Europe was the best performer and growth was higher in advanced economies than in emerging ones due largely to the strong results in Europe, and the setbacks in the Middle East and North Africa.
International tourism would continue growing in 2012 although at a slower rate compared to the 4.4 percent growth last year. Arrivals are expected to reach the historic one billion mark by the end of the year with emerging economies seeing strongest growth.
Among the top ten tourist destinations, receipts were up significantly in the USA, up 12 percent, Spain, up nine percent, Hong Kong, up 25 percent and the UK, up seven percent. "We forecast tourism arrivals to increase by 4 percent, compared to last year’s 4.4 percent growth,” UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai said.
