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COMCEC Tourism Outlook-2018

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countries expressed in current US dollars. As the US dollar appreciated against other currencies

in 2016, actual earnings in local currencies converted to US$ were in many cases lower than in

2016. In absolute terms, tourism receipts in OIC member states increased by US$ 7 billion.

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 destinationmore 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 116 million to 117 million in 2016 according to

available data.

Figure 0.4 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 2004-2016. In 2016, 51 million tourists travelled to OIC-Asia region. The OIC- Sub

Saharan Africa constitutes the smallest portion of the international OIC Tourism but this region

experienced a strong growth in 2016. 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

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82 85

102 104 108 104

119 116 117

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2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

OIC-ASIA

OIC MENA

OIC SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA