COMCEC Tourism Outlook-2019
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transport, entertainment, shopping and other services and goods. For the receiving country
receipts count as exports and for many destinations tourism is a vital source of foreign currency
earnings and an important contributor to the economy, creating much needed employment and
opportunities for development. From the period 1980 to 2018, international tourism receipts
increased from US$ 104 billion in 1980 to US$ 1,451 billion in 2018 (UNWTO, 2019a). Average
spending per arrival was also a little bit above 1000 US$.
Figure 3.5 shows the international tourism receipts as well as tourist arrivals for the period
2005-2018. International tourism receipts grew by 4.4 % in real terms (i.e. using local
currencies at constant prices in order to adjust for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations) in
2018 by reaching to US$ 1,451 billion. In absolute terms, international tourism receipts in
destinations around the world increased by US$ 106 billion compared to 2017.
In addition to receipts earned in the destinations (the travel item of the balance of payments),
international tourism also generated US$ 256 billion in exports through international passenger
transport services rendered to non-residents in 2018. As such, total receipts from international
tourism, including international passenger transport, exceeded US$ 1.7 trillion in 2018 resulting
a contribution of US$ 5 billion a day to global export earnings.
Figure 3.4 International Arrivals & Tourism Receipts (2005-2018)
Source: UNWTO, 2019a
Based on 2018 data, advanced economy destinations (+4%) recorded somewhat slower growth
also in receipts than emerging economy destinations (+7%). By region, the largest increase in
receipts for the Asia & Pasific was recorded as +6% (in real terms) in 2018. It is followed by
Europe by +5%, Middle East by 4%, Africa by 2%. Americas did not record a remarkable growth
(0,3%) in 2018.
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Grafik Başlığı
Number of tourists (millions of people) Tourism receipts (billion dollars)