This edition includes the preliminary data on International Tourist Arrivals for the first four months of 2009 and a revised forecast for the full year, as well as the estimates of last year’s and the 2008 rankings for tourism destinations, source markets and tourism spenders.

The number of international tourist arrivals reached 247 million between January and April 2009, down from 269 million compared to the same period in 2008 (a decline of 8%).

Results reflect the severe impact of the global economic crisis and all the associated causes and effects, exacerbated in some regions by concerns about the outbreak of the influenza A(H1N1) virus.

The effect on tourism demand has been different from one region to another. With the exception of Africa, which is estimated to have seen a 3% growth, all regions recorded declines in arrivals from January through April, with the worst hit being Europe (-10%) and the Middle East (-18%). Asia and the Pacific was down an estimated 6% and the Americas 5%. Besides the subregions of North and Sub-Saharan Africa with positive results, South America bucked the general downward trend, registering a flat +0.2%.

Prospects for 2009: UNWTO revised its previous forecast and expects international tourism to decline by between -6% and -4%. The pace of decline is expected to soften in the remainder of the year, with the months May-August projected at between -6% and -4%, and September-December between -5% and -3%.

The full version of the Barometer is available for Members at the UNWTO e-library and for Media upon request at comm@UNWTO.org.

Find all the information related to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer at: www.UNWTO.org/facts.