BTB
The organizers of ITB have ample reasons to celebrate as this year’s outing has confirmed the event’s position as the world’s biggest travel fair. With 10,856 firms, enterprises and institutions from some 180 countries and territories around the world, organizers are touting the 2006 ITB edition as a “record year.”
The strong participation by the global travel industry at this year’s ITB complements the World Travel and Tourism Council’s recently released figures showing a 5 percent growth in global tourism spending for 2005, which is a staggering US$6 trillion.
This growth is evident in Bulgaria, where Europe is the major generator of tourism.
International tourist arrivals in Bulgaria increased by 5 percent over the first eleven months of 2005. The share of the European Union (EU) in the total count has increased to 55 percent thanks to a higher than average 6 percent rise in arrivals from member countries, and more than 7 percent from new EU member markets, Bulgarian officials said in a release.
Netherlands is also reporting favorable visitor arrivals. During the first three quarters of 2005, visitor arrivals increased by 4 percent over the same period in 2004, according to the latest UNWTO figures. This follows growth of 5 percent in 2004 when 9.6 million international tourist arrivals were recorded in the country.
Also consistent with the WTTC’s findings is Quebec City’s figures. Preliminary estimates for 2005 suggest that 3 percent more rooms were booked in the Québec City region in the first seven months of last year, and average hotel occupancy was 58.6 percent, 2.4 points more than in 2004.
Even hurricane affected destinations managed to turn business around. Miami tourism officials announced that 2005 was another record-breaking year for Miami as overnight visitors to the Florida metropolis grew by more than 3 percent to reach a record 11.3 million. Mexico, on the other hand, achieved an overall growth in arrivals for the year of 6.5 percent despite the destruction caused by Hurricane Wilma.
On the Asian front, Vietnam’s average growth rates of 20 percent per year is proof that it is fast becoming a leading destination in Southeast Asia. According to Dr Pham Tu, vice chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the country expects to continue to grow by 10-20 percent annually until 2010 and reach 6 million international visitors by 2010.
Noticeably, last year’s phenomenal growth did not extend to France. Citing preliminary results, French Minister of Tourism Léon Bertrand said last year saw no real growth. Last year’s “roughly 75 million” arrivals is disappointing considering France attracted 77 million tourists in 2000. Decline in demand from important markets like Germany, Italy and the Netherlands is believed to be a factor in the “stagnation.
