MARKETS - Asia Pacific Tourism Continues to Break Records

Pata.org, September 25, 2007

There were close to 356 million international trips to Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) member destinations in 2006, representing region-wide year-on-year growth of 5.3% over 2005. This was revealed by the ‘PATA Annual Statistical Report 2006’, launched today during a strategic intelligence workshop at PATA Travel Mart 2007 in Bali, which has set a new year-to-date record for arrivals. “Calendar year 2006 was very successful in terms of international visitor arrivals (IVAs) into and within Asia Pacific,” said PATA Director - Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC) Mr John Koldowski. The following destinations posted “best-ever performances” in 2006:
• Chile, in the Americas;
• Bhutan, India and Pakistan, in South Asia;
• China (PRC), Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Korea (ROK) Macau SAR and Mongolia, in Northeast Asia;
• Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar. Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, in Southeast Asia; and
• Australia, Cook Islands, Hawaii, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, in the Pacific.
“Asia Pacific may attract up to 380 million IVAs in 2007,” he added. “So far this year the region has added 13.8 million international visitor arrivals compared to the same period in 2006, an expansion of 7.1% year-on-year.”

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