•The hotel will begin operations under management agreement on 15 October and the owner will commit a 35 million dollar renovation over the next two yearsSol Meliá, the leading hotel company in Spain and Latin America, has announced the start of operations in the USA with the opening of the Meliá Atlanta, under a management agreement, allowing the company to develop its growth strategy in the biggest market in the world and positioning its most international brand in one of the most important business destinations in the country.

The hotel has been run to date by the Marriott chain under the name Renaissance Atlanta Hotel Downtown, and will be taken over by Sol Meliá from 15 October. The new Meliá Atlanta will be fully adapted to the brand standards thanks to the owner’s investment of 35 million dollar in
a renovation process through to 2013.

Located in the financial district of Atlanta (capital of the State of Georgia, home to some of the biggest corporations in the USA), very near the city Technology Park, the hotel is a modern 502 room property which is perfect for both business and leisure travellers and has easy access
to the Hartsfield-Jackson international airport, the busiest airport in the world. The Meliá Atlanta also provides 2,700 square meters of meeting space for events, excellent leisure facilities and a great choice of dining options.

The hotel is owned by Fundus America and the takeover is a landmark for the Sol Meliá growth and diversification strategy, allowing the company to gain a foothold in the biggest market in the world and earn brand recognition which will enhance the opening of hotels in new destinations in the USA. In the words of Gabriel Escarrer, Vice Chairman and CEO of Sol Meliá, “the company is very excited about the addition of the new Meliá Atlanta and I’m sure it will help us give a boost to many projects we would like to develop in the USA over the coming years”. Henk Habers, Chairman of the WingField Group, the real estate company involved in the operation, emphasised that the quality of the hotel after it adapts to the Meliá brand standards, and its privileged location in downtown Atlanta, will make the Meliá Atlanta the “preferred destination for both business and leisure travellers”.

Sol Meliá is currently immersed in an intense period of growth and has managed to extend its brand presence to the most dynamic markets in the world: Asia, major European capitals, the Mediterranean coast and the Caribbean, amongst others. In the Americas the hotel company operates
hotels in Brazil, Argentina, México, Venezuela and Costa Rica, amongst others and also achieved a major deal in the USA in June with the sale of its TRYP brand to the giant Wyndham Hotel Group, creating a strategic alliance to develop the new “Tryp by Wyndham” brand in major markets, including the USA.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand ( TAT) is confident that its expanded digital marketing strategy will help promote Thailand among local and foreign tourists next year. The agency expects foereign tourist arrivals to Thailand will reach 15,5 Million next yeare, generating a revenue of 600 MillionBath, up to 9 % from this year. As well as local tourists will expand 3 % next year from 93 Million trips and 460 billion bath in revenue forecast this year.

” We believe Thai tourism next year will generate revenue up to 1 trillion bath for the country”, said TAT governor Surapol Svetsreni. TAT has already undertaken nine digital marketing campaigns and some of them have produced excellent results. The governor said its digital marketing schemes had given tourists more informations about tourist attractions and touragents. As well, tour operators can have another channel to promote theier products and services, as well as communicate with customers via its main site at www.tourismthailand.org.

Mr. Surapol said the TAT would also help enhance digital marketing knowledge for tourism operators through seminars and training courses.
Some of the nine campaigns are the ” 50 Places, 50 Thai Tourism Years” campaign, social networking and social media, the response to online community, and the integration of online and offline marketing. The TAT now has a presence on the Facebook and Twitter social networks. The Amazing Thailand  fan page has 85.865 members and Thailand Fan Club and go2Thailand on twitter have attracted 14.000 followers.

Apart from the nine schemes, the TAT has a trip planner programme on its website (www.tourismthailand .org) which helps a tourist plan a trip by choosing an attraction, hotel, restaurant and shopping malls and then combining them as a list for a private trip. The tourist can send the list to friends and touragents to calculate costs. Another activity is e-mail alerts on good tour offers. The digital marketing is more and more usualy and wellknown in the tourism-industry. After the time of four colour magazines, broschures tect. the CD, DVD and the Internet  is used, like you can see at our website www.tourism-insider.com. This not only saves budget – it is also very good for our environment.

Integrative Medicine emphasizes the doctor-patient relationship using the least invasive, least toxic and least costly methods. Responding to feedback from patients, partners and clients, Thailand is leading the way.  Healthcare is a basic human right. However, in many developing and, believe it or not, advanced nations it is a  privilege to have world-class medical care.Many of us feel that good health care is a gamble and a cure, “a miracle.” We feel “lucky” when we find a treatment  that works or a doctor with an open mind for alternatives. More often than not, many healing modalities are brought together by the patient. When people are suffering they will  try anything. It is the patient that usually integrates treatments or combines disciplines to find relief. In fact, more than 60 per cent of the industrialized world and more than 90 per cent of people in developing nations are already using alternative treatments as opposed to
conventional or traditional approaches, according the World Health Organization.

Integrative Medicine, a seemingly new medical term, is a philosophy of healing that has existed since the dawn of civilization.  Integrative Medicine involves using the best of both worlds, from the conventional to  the alternative. It is not just a philosophy of East meets West, but the union of nature  and technology to accentuate healing. Dr William Hitt, nominated for a Nobel Prize  in medicine was a devout believer in Integrative  Medicine and was quoted saying, “whatever works best wins.”  Integrative Medicine is open to the use of any treatment to find a solution that has evidence for effectiveness, without causing harm.

Integration involves activating the body’s innate healing response, encouraging self-healing or regeneration.  Integrative Medicine emphasizes that each  person has a unique healing process and that the caregiver’s attention to the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the individual is fundamental. Integrative Medicine encourages disease prevention through self-care education, because prevention is the cure.  The key that has stamped the approach of  integration into the hearts of the world citizen is the simple fact that  the treatments are customized to meet the significant challenges of the individual. We all want to heal, but each of us has a unique path or experience through which we shift awareness from dis-ease to a state of  ease.

Access to healthcare has always been a great challenge for people who are financially limited and has not been a concern for most advanced nations, until the advent of the worldwide economic crisis. State policy-makers around the world are fast waking up to the fact that they will simply not have the resources or the political infrastructure to provide universal healthcare to their citizens. In the US, it is estimated that it will cost one trillion US dollars to provide universal healthcare and by the year 2020 the United Kingdom, as well, will need to spend one trillion US
yearly to keep socialized medicine alive.  This has led to cuts in healthcare, decreases in research funding and a movement away from world-class ideas that  could alter the status quo.

For example, Stem Cell therapy, the use of  cellular functional medicine, autoimmunization and oxygen therapies although not readily instituted in the West have been proven in 19 countries and hundreds of universities worldwide.  In many cases it is the bureaucracy of traditional  entrenched government policy that delays access of these therapies, not because they are unproven, but because it takes time to filter down to the average physician, sometimes ten years for a single herbal remedy. In the case of some breakthroughs, patients are forced to seek out proven advances on their own initiative.  Although integration can save money, there is a  strong pharmaceutical influence in the West that has driven and  continues to drive countries away from the least costly, less toxic, less invasive means of treatment as a solution.

The former Vice-President of Glaxo pharmaceuticals stated, “We now know that more than 60 per cent of the drugs used today are less than 45 per cent effective.” Meaning most  chemical approaches or drug treatments are lacking in results.  The investment is made in the drug not the cure. The pharmaceutical industry has dominated and shaped the direction  of modern medicine and this has lead to a disappointing escalation of chronic illnesses among the Western economic elite.  Consequently, the people in the West are frustrated and are searching for a place in the world that is affordable  and has a philosophy of healing that is open to many points of view. People have resorted to outsourcing healthcare.  In the near future when a person enters, “where  is the best place to heal” as a Google search the response will be:  Thailand.  People want to find a place to heal that can provide good care, more options and emphasizes the happiness of the patient, rather than the profit for the shareholders of a drug company.

This place would have to be a central hub allowing ease of access and accommodation for many surrounding countries. This place must be open to many cultures, religions,  languages and ideologies from around the world.  This place must have a cultural ethic that is aware of compassion as a central component in healing Most importantly, it must be affordable!  Thailand has a relatively stable currency and  an economy that is strongly tied to the wealth of China. As a result, Thailand has seen a progressive rate of growth that is largely up to scale with the West.

On average you can get more healing for your buck when you come to Thailand. This gives a patient greater access to the best treatments.  Thailand is a nation that lives the philosophy of the Buddha, but you do not have to be Buddhist to feel welcomed. In addition, the primary goal of Buddhism is to be “happy” and it is emphasized in the Thai culture to, not upset the equanimity of another. This awareness encourages people to be at peace, to be tolerant, to be open to others and to have compassion for the suffering. These practices are so evident in Thailand that, when you arrive at the airport, you are given a sign: “Welcome to Thailand, the Land of Smiles.” This open sense of gratitude is a breath of fresh air that leaves most people feeling they do not want to leave and it has caused many to stay.

A recent study from the Tourism Authority of Thailand  (TAT) concluded that of all of the visitors who sought medical services  in Thailand, 27.6 per cent flew directly from their home country to Thailand to seek integrative care, both conventional and alternative. Thailand is seeing a steady increase in interest in and demand for integrative medical care from patients from countries such as China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Europe, the United States and the Middle East.  Tourists account for another 22 per cent and  expats living in Thailand account for another 50.2 per cent.
a liaison to  navigate your care.

*  Call your embassy to confirm that the  facility is in good standing with the Medical Society of Thailand.
*  Get an estimate of cost of care to eliminate any hidden fees and ask for a possible payment plan in the event that you are financially limited.

Richard DeAndrea, MD, ND is the Holistic Health Director at TRIA/Piyavate: Integrative Medical Institute, Bangkok Thailand. He has practiced integrative medicine for more than 15 years and piloted an integrative medical clinic for UCLA and has built over 15 clinics throughout the state of California. He is trained in Surgery, Internal  Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda and many advanced therapies. He is the Medical Advisor to the most well noted Stem Cell Company (Adistem.com)… and above all he loves people. Contact information: His website is www.naturaldoctor.org.

With regards to the buoyant interest for ATF 2011, Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, Cambodia and Permanent Vice-Chairman of ATF 2011 Organizing Committee explains, “Improving market optimism aside, a significant part of this year’s interest also has to do with the appeal of Cambodia as a destination. International delegates are motivated to experience the country’s rich cultural, natural and historical heritage.”

Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia believes that the country will be represented at the event in a big way this 2011. More than 800 participants from across Cambodia’s tourism industry gathered for the ATF 2011 event preview at Nagaworld in Phnom Penh on 31 August 2010. The purpose of the preview was to promote, increase awareness and encourage all Cambodian tourism stakeholders to participate at the upcoming ATF 2011. The event preview was presided by His Excellency Dr. Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers and Chairman of ATF 2011 Organizing Committee. The guest list included the country’s movers and shakers such as top government officials from the various ministries and heads of foreign missions. A large number of hotel owners and general managers were also present.

Host country, Kingdom of Cambodia, began its marketing efforts to tantalise the industry’s travel professionals at the last ATF 2010 closing ceremony by pulling out all stops to deliver a sumptuous and entertaining evening complete with a gastronomic and cultural showcase. Delegates enjoyed a sneak preview of what they can look forward to at ATF 2011 in Phnom Penh.

Scheduled from 19 to 21 January 2011, the three-day ATF 2011 TRAVEX will be held at Phnom Penh’s Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center located along the Bassac River. Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia will host the event’s Opening and Closing Ceremony, which promises to be even more spectacular than its 2010 preview. Delegates will also be thrilled to network in the company of their fellow industry colleagues and wind down at the end of a business work day at not two but three late night social events organised by Nagaworld, Fairmont/Raffles/Swissotel/TTG Asia and Pattaya City/Sofitel/TTG Asia respectively.

More information on the event’s programme will be made available in the upcoming months. Registrations for exhibitors, buyers and media are still open online at www.atfcambodia.com. More information on ATF 2011 can also be found at the event website.

ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) is a cooperative regional effort to promote the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region as one tourist destination. ATF TRAVEX is the longest-running annual ASEAN leisure travel trade event, showcasing the largest contingent of ASEAN sellers. This annual event involves all the tourism industry sectors of the 10 ASEAN member nations: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Each year, the hosting of ATF is rotated among the member countries. Cambodia will host ATF 2011 and is all geared up to welcome over 1,600 delegates which includes 400 international buyers and 100 international media. ATF 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of this event since its inauguration in Malaysia in 1981.

2011 TRAVEX Dates: 19 to 21 January 2011, Venue: Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Center.

Cambodia has moved their Tourism Authority Office in Germany. The new adress is: c/o ICS Travel Group, Steinerstr.15, 81369 München, info@is-eu.de.

From 25.-28th. of sept. 2010 the Culture-and Tourism Festival will be in Guangzhou (Canton) in connection with the annual Tourism Fair.The UNWTO United Nations World Tourism Organisation organised together with the Province Government of Guangdong and the Chinese Tourism Authority the WTD World Tourism Day in Guangzhou after the Exhibition on the 28^th. of September. This annual meeting will be organized every year in another country.

New in the end of 2009 opened Mandarin Oriental Barcelona is the 200 m² large President Suite.

Finnair is now flying again from Stuttgart to Helsinki.

The Tradeshow IT&CMA & CTW will be organized from 5.-8.October 2010 in Bangkok.

British Airways is now flying nonstop from Germany to the dansk Billund.

The International Tradefair Union UFI reported in their 5^th. global Fairbarometer that in the whole industry the crisis is gone.

Petra Hedorfer, Chairman of DZT German Centrale for Tourism is the elected new president of ETC the European Travel Commission.

In Cambodia will be the next ATF Asean Tourism Forum from 21.-28^th. of Januar 2011. Every year in Januar all the Tourism-Minister of the ASEANS Countries and the NTO´s meet in an other ASEAN Country. In the frame is also a large Tourism Market specially for the organisers of MICE Business. More information, also for the Fully Hosted Buyer Programme: arf@tourism-insider.com.

From 6.-8. of October 2010 the UN WTO will organize a Tourism conference in Samarkand, Usbekistan, for the promotion of all countries along the Silk Road. For more information please send an mail at: silkroad@tourism-insider.com.



Beijing Tourism Administration plans to make CIBTM the meetings industry event in the ASEAN Region

At CIBTM 2010, Ms Gu, Deputy Director General of the Beijing Tourism Administration (BTA) and the co-organiser of the event, announced that they expect CIBTM will become the leading event for the meetings industry in ASEAN within the next three years. Increased numbers of exhibitors, representing 26 countries, the largest ever Hosted Buyer Programme and number of trade visitors, helped set the trend for growth and secure the future of CIBTM which took place in Beijing this week.

Shane Jameson, Director of Sales for Jebel Ali International Hotels Dubai, supported the BTA’s vision. “CIBTM takes place in the most prolifically fast moving market in the world. We are here for the long term – 150% – we will not survive as a destination without business from China and CIBTM will help us deliver it.” On closing, indications are that the total number of Hosted Buyers and trade visitors increased by 16% on 2009. The official figures are subject to an independent official audit.

Sean Mahoney, Global Vice President of Corporate & Incentive Sales for Silversea Cruises said: “We are big fans of the RTE portfolio of meetings events and attend them all. What appeals to us about CIBTM is that everyone here sees the potential in this market. We are building brand awareness, finding potential partners, and as China is the No 1 market in Asia for us, we have a serious strategy for our business here.”

“Incentive and corporate groups from China are very interested in London for pre-Olympics, not only to see the infrastructure and stadiums but to also experience some sporting activities for themselves. The interest from Hosted Buyers at CIBTM has been very good. It’s our first year, but we are here to stay”, commented Kyle de Klerk, Business Development Manager for Chelsea Football Club part of the Visit London stand.

The thirst for knowledge and education about the MICE industry continued this year with some 20 speakers, of which nearly half were international, to help satisfy the demand for information on the meetings and incentive industry. Attendees to the 17 sessions were up over 30%. Hosted Buyer Lai Ying, Manager of Zhejiang China International Travel Service said: “It’s my first time here. The dedicated three day business platform taught me a lot about running a MICE business. The two seminars held in the morning impressed me and helped widen my knowledge. I would like to return next year.”

Shawn Pisani MIH: Director Industry Relations EMEA, Helms Briscoe commented: “We are new to the China market and are attending to establish business networks with Chinese counterparts. Today I had good talks with local companies such as Regalia Hotel Group and Gloria Hotels & Resorts to name but a few.” The 4th China and Asia Meetings Industry Research Report, which was launched at the show, demonstrated that the meetings business in China and Asia is growing and that there has been a significant increase in the number of events held and a wider range of industry sectors are generating meetings and events.

Zhu Qian, Marketing Centre Director, Naning China International Travel Service Co. Ltd commented: “The educational seminars were excellent. They provided a lot of insightful information and I learned a lot. It is very useful indeed and I recommend it to my peers. Thank you CIBTM.” Exhibition Manager Jeffrey Xu comments: “The meetings industry in China is now really beginning to take shape. We are delighted with the response and feedback at this year’s show. In 2009 we launched China Meetings Week and this has clearly increased the profile of the show dramatically, resulting in larger numbers of corporate Chinese buyers – key to the development of the show and its exhibitors.”

Dates for CIBTM 2011 are 30th August – 1st September at the China National Convention Centre, (CNCC) Beijing.

The poll was conducted among 200 North American buyers and suppliers in June 2010, following the conclusion of IMEX in Frankfurt, which took place May 25-27, 2010. The poll results are good news for the U.K. based IMEX Group, which will launch its first annual IMEX America exhibition, October 11-13, 2011, in Las Vegas, at the Sands Expo at the Venetian/Palazzo Hotel.

Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group comments, “We recently declared an increase in the hosted buyer program for IMEX America – we now expect in excess of 2000 buyers – because our partners and intermediaries have a renewed confidence in future growth. This represents an increase of more than 30 percent on our initial launch figure. Our survey findings are also in line with other recent global and US industry reports which suggests that this new found confidence is not just about mood but about real business volumes.”

The poll also revealed that Canadian planners are even more optimistic. While one in five (21%) U.S. planners doubt the meetings market is in recovery, Canadian buyers are generally convinced that already it is ‘business as usual,’ suggesting that the sector has rebounded faster because their economy and financial systems were hit less severely.  As one planner explained, “Our financial system was never really in too much trouble. No banks closed, and there were few or no foreclosure increases. Business demands changed slightly but did not necessarily decline.” Another shared the opinion, “In Canada we are quickly moving out of the economic downturn…our GDP is up 6.1% already. Fortunately, perception may no longer be an issue.”

In contrast, U.S. respondents acknowledge the possibility of continuing business volatility and that recovery may only be slow.  However, their confidence is underpinned by a sense that there is pent up demand for travel. Said one organizer, “We are starting to experience a resurgence in incentive programs from our customers. Qualification levels are stronger and forecasts for 2011 are stronger than 2010.” Another commented, “We are seeing an increase in the number of programs for 2010 over 2009, so that is a positive. There are encouraging small gains as well as the better reception we are receiving to our offers.”

Survey participants confirm also that their meetings and incentives tend to be short-notice, travel less far, remain value-conscious, and are simpler and more ROI-focused than those held prior to the downturn. Some argue that the formula of ‘more for less’ – frugality and less frivolity – could prove to be the new reality for many years ahead.

About IMEX America

The new trade show for the worldwide meetings, events and incentive travel industry; the inaugural IMEX America will take place October 11-13, 2011 at the Sands Expo at the Venetian/Palazzo Hotel. The show’s strategic partner and major educational provider is MPI.  It is endorsed by DMAI and Site, and has an Industry Partnership with PCMA. IMEX America also has major partnerships in place with all the other leading industry associations across the world. IMEX America will offer a unique model of trade show, new to the US market. It will assure exhibitors of meeting and making business appointments on their booths with in excess of 2,000 highly qualified hosted buyers. The majority (80%) of these hosted buyers will come from North America, with the balance from the rest of the world.  In addition thousands of additional U.S. buyer attendees are expected to attend from across North America.

Exhibitors and buyers can register their interest in IMEX America at http://www.imex-america.com/users_prereg_interest.php

The next CIBTM China Incentives Business Travel and Meeting Exhibition in 2011 will take place in Beijing at the China National Convention Center from Tuesday 30 August to Thursday 1 September. This year´s CIBTM together with China Meetings Week, has been officialy supported and co-hosted by the China National Tourism Administration and the Beijing Municipal Government.

CIBTM´s Exhibition Manager Jeffrey Xu comments:” At such an exiciting time for the industry in the region, we are looking forward to CIBTM 2011 continuing to play a significant and influential role in the growth and development of the meetings industry throughout China and Asia. Please check www.cibtm.com for more information”.

CIBTM forms part of the RTE Reed Travel Exhibitions portfolio of Global Meetings and Incentives Events along with AIME, EIBTM, GIBTM and AIBTM. CIBTM is the annual China meetings and incentive exhibition held in Beijing. The exhibition is BPA Audited every year to guarantee that the number of visitors promoted is completely accurate and are unique attendees only.

Reed Travel Exhibitions organize 12 events worldwide, including World Travel Market, Arabian Travel Market, European Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition ( EIBTM),  China Incentive, Business Travel & meetings Exhibition (CIBTM), Gulf Incentive Business Travel%&Meetings ( GIBTM), Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo ( AIME Australia), International Golf Market (, International French Travel Market Top Resa, International Luxury Travel Market ( ILTM), La Cumbre , Asia Luxury Travel Market ( ALTM) and new next year is the AIBTM ( Americas Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition.

Reed Exhibitions is the world leading events organizer, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business.

Reed Exhibitions is part of reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company  and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2009 Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of  GBP 1,279 million turnover of GBP 6,071 million.

The number of Internet user in China, most of them using China Wide Web, grew rapidly in the first half of this year even as the economy suffered from the global downturn, a report by a quasi-government organization showed.China now has 420 million internet users according to official figures released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) this month. This is nearly a third of China´s  popukation ( 31,8 %) and is up by 36 million since the end of 2009, making China the first country in the world to have over 400 million internet users.

Chinese travel trade and travelers search online for travel informations in Chinese. With nearly seven in 10 Chinese leisure travelers accessing destination websites, and about six in 10 using online travel discussions forums to source information. Travel operators and tourism promotional bodies will  need an effective Internet presence to capture the oppurtunities presented by Chinese outbound tourism, according to a new research study conducted by the Nielsen Company in partnership with the  Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

The new China outbound Travel Monitor 2007 reveals  that traditional travel agents rank only second behind online sources (63 %) as the most popular source of information for potential travelers while the use of traditional media is found to be much lower (40 %) for newspapers and magazines.

Cinducted in October 2007, via a combination of telephone and online interviews, the Monitor surveyed 1.500 travellers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, about their behavior, attitudes and opinions of various destinations and provides  insights  into their decision-making processes, information sourcing, booking choices, accommodation preferences and more.

Chinese outbound travelers from the three key cities are also turning to the Internet for their travel bookings. While the majority is currently using traditional travel agents  (61%) , Chinese travelers booking via online travel agents and hotel or transport operators websites (29 % and 16% respectively) are on the rise, with their numbers expected to continue to increase.

Given the outstanding growth  in China´s online population, the Internet will become the most efficient way to quickly understand consumers across China´s fast markets; marketers have to innovate to leverage the Internet to reach consumers as standard online advertising may not be adequate to capture the attention of the increasingly technology – savvy Chinese  online population, continued Dr- Grace Pan ( Global Times).

Asia and the Middle East lead growth
International tourist arrivals are estimated to have grown by 7% in the first half of 2010. While growth was modest in April as a consequence of the closure of European airspace following the eruption of a volcano in Iceland, results were strong in May (+10%) and June (+8%). Data available for July indicates that growth is set to continue at a steady rate.

Growth was positive in all world regions, led by a robust performance of emerging economies expanding at 8% compared to 6% in advanced economies. Asia and the Pacific (+14%) and the Middle East (+20%), where results were already positive in the second half of 2009, continue to lead growth in the first half of 2010 with the majority of destinations in both regions posting double digit growth rates.

Asia in particular is experiencing a very dynamic rebound, with strong results from Sri Lanka (+49%), Japan (+36%), Vietnam (+35%), Myanmar (+35%), Hong Kong (China) (+23%), Macao (China) (+23%), Singapore (+23%), Fiji (+22%) and the Maldives (+21%). Thailand (+14%) posted encouraging results in spite of the political unrest early this year. As in previous occasions, such as the Asian financial and economic crisis (1997-1998), the SARS outbreak (2003), and the tsunami (2004), Asia has once again shown a strong capacity for recovery. International tourism has been a driving force in a region – currently the second most visited region in the world,- with 181 million international tourist arrivals (21% of world total) and international tourism receipts of US$ 204 billion (24% of world total) in 2009.

In the Americas (+7%), Central and South America show steady growth, as does North America. Growth has been slower in the Caribbean but results are still markedly improved as compared to 2008 and 2009. Europe (+2%) shows the slowest recovery but results from recent months are slightly more positive. Although recovery has not yet returned to Northern Europe, both Western and Southern Mediterranean Europe show reasonable growth. Africa (+7%), the only region to grow in 2009, maintained this momentum during the first half of 2010.

International tourism receipts are expected to lag somewhat behind arrivals in many destinations. Following major shocks, volume (arrivals) tends to recover faster than income (receipts) as travellers travel closer to home, for shorter periods of time and seek value for money, while on the supply side increased competition has been driving prices down. This was also the case following the Asian economic and financial crisis and after the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks.

UNWTO forecasts continued growth but risks remain
Overall, international tourist arrivals totalled 421 million during the first six months of 2010, up 7% on 2009, but still 2% below that of the record year of 2008 (428 million arrivals in the same period). These results follow one of the toughest years for the tourism sector with international tourist arrivals declining by 4.2% in 2009 to 880 million and international tourism receipts reaching US$ 852 billion (€611 billion), a decrease in real terms of 5.7%. The return of growth must be thus viewed with caution given that it compares with a very weak period of 2009.

Nevertheless, many destinations are setting new records, leaving behind the losses of 2009 and exceeding the 2008 levels. Compared to the first half of 2008, six sub-regions show growth: Sub-Saharan Africa (+16%), North Africa (+12%), North-East Asia (+7%), South Asia (+7%), South-East Asia (+5%) and South America (+4%).

For 2010, UNWTO maintains its initial forecast of international tourist arrivals growing by 3% to 4%. Current growth rates, coupled with an improving global economic environment suggest that end-year results are likely to be closer to 4%, and may even exceed this figure.

However, high unemployment continues to be a major cause of concern and the austerity measures as well as the rise in taxation implemented in several advanced economies to fight public deficits represent a clear challenge to many leading outbound markets.

“Although we are witnessing a clear recovery in international tourism, we must remain cautious,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai in Madrid. “In many advanced economies, namely in the USA and in some major European markets, economic recovery has still to consolidate. To this we must add the recent introduction and increase in taxation, most specifically those which directly impact the tourism sector, such as air transport taxes. While we fully understand the need to balance public accounts, one-sided decisions on taxation risk adversely impacting a sector with a proven track record for job creation and economic growth, as one of the major generators of exports earnings and income sources for developing countries, which are crucial to a stable economic recovery.”

Regional and domestic tourism key to growth
The August Interim Update was presented at the 4th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook (Guilin, China), held under the theme Domestic and Regional Tourism: Issues, Opportunities and Prospects.
A large majority of international travel takes place within the traveller’s own region, with around four out of five arrivals worldwide originating from the same region. The remarkable rebound of Asia is to a large extent a reflection of the strength of the regional outbound markets. Domestic tourism is of equal importance. Worldwide the number of domestic arrivals is estimated to exceed some four times the number of international arrivals.

“With consumers tending to travel closer to home in times of downturns, domestic tourism has been experiencing significant growth,” said UNWTO Executive Director, Márcio Favilla, presenting the Update at the Forum in Guilin, China. “Coupled with regional tourism, domestic tourism can thus serve as an important driver of development and growth, in particular during times of economic uncertainty. China is an excellent example of how to foster domestic tourism,” he added.

Many countries promote actively to tap into these markets with festivals, events and special years, such as the Visit Japan Year 2010 and the Nepal Tourism Year 2011. In terms of large events, prime examples include the FIFA World Cup in South Africa last June and the Shanghai 2010 Expo, being held from May to October, and strongly boosting both domestic and inbound tourism. At the beginning of September, four months after opening, almost 50 million visitors have been counted, and close to half a million visitors are recorded each day.