COMCEC Tourism Outlook-2019
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The number of tourism receipts of the member countries increased from $138 billion in 2016 to
$154 billion in 2017, corresponding to a 11 percent share in world’s total tourism receipts. The
receipts are expected to increase to 165 billion in 2018. Generally, a certain destination becomes
more price-competitive when its currency depreciates relative to the currencies of its source
markets. Similarly, it becomes less affordable, when its currency appreciates against the
currencies of its visitors. An appreciating currency increases the purchasing power of a
country’s travelers abroad, but makes the destination more expensive for international
generating markets against whose currencies it has appreciated.
It can be useful to analyze the trends by grouping the OIC member countries as OIC-MENA, OIC-
Asia, and OIC-Sub-Saharan Africa, which are provided at Figure 4.4. As displayed in the figure
OIC-MENA has the biggest share among tourist arrivals in the member states. In this region, the
number of tourist arrivals increased from 117 million to 120 million in 2017 and 2018
projections show another leap to 141 million according to available data.
Figure 4.4 Tourist Arrivals in the OIC Sub-Regions (Millions)
Source: UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2006, 2009 and 2017 Editions.
Figure 4.4 shows that OIC-Asia has experienced continued growth in tourist arrivals for the
period 2004-2018. In 2016, 51 million tourists travelled to OIC-Asia region. This tendency has
increased and get finalized around 55 million for 2017 and 2018. The OIC- Sub Saharan Africa
constitutes the smallest portion of the international OIC Tourism but this region experienced a
strong growth since 2016. Recording a 10% increase each year OIC Africa hosted 12 million
tourists in 2018. Similar analysis can be made for tourism receipts in these groups. Figure 4.5
shows that tourism receipts in OIC-MENA is greater than the other two regions.
28 27 30 36 39 39 42 46 47 48 51 50 51 56 55
61
68 62
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82 85
102 104 108 104
119 116 117 120
141
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0
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60
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2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
OIC-ASIA
OIC MENA
OIC SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA