Positive trends for Asia Pacific tourism – ‘but treat figures with caution’ warns Pacific Asia Travel Association – 03/11/09
Source: ©The Moodie Report
By Martin Moodie
ASIA PACIFIC. The latest figures released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) show that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region* improved by +0.5% year-on-year during August.
However, international visitor arrivals for the first eight months of 2009 were down by -5% year-on-year.
Northeast Asia recorded a year-on-year increase of +4% in international visitor arrivals for August, highlighted by growth in China PRC (+3%), Hong Kong SAR (+6%) and Macau SAR (+7%).
 |
Source: Pacific Asia Travel Association
|
Arrivals to Southeast Asia grew by +3% in the month, mainly supported by strong arrivals to Malaysia (+10%). Cambodia was the only other country in this sub-region with positive arrivals growth (+9%). Rates of decline in arrivals to Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam moderated – but arrivals to Indonesia fell by nearly -6% following the bombings in Jakarta in mid-July.
Arrivals to South Asia were down by -4%, driven by a steep -9% decline in India. The smaller countries in the sub-region experienced increased visitor arrivals: Maldives +1%, Nepal +5% and Sri Lanka, which benefited from growing stability, +34%.
Declines in arrivals to the Pacific region slowed to a marginal -0.5% in August, partly helped by stability in arrivals to Hawaii. Visitor arrivals to the Americas fell by some -6% for the month.
PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre Director John Koldowski said: "Care needs to be taken in interpreting the latest results as we are entering a period now where the comparative base of last year began its decline. Even mediocre performances now may look good against the backdrop of 2008."
* 41 destinations as measured and reported in the PATA Annual Tourism Monitor.
MORE STORIES ON THE PACIFIC ASIA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
Asia Pacific tourism trending upwards – 08/10/09
Pacific Asia Travel Association launches relief fund for victims of natural disasters in South Asia – 02/10/09
Asia Pacific visitor arrivals drop by -6.0% in first half; H1N1 flu virus remains key uncertainty – 01/09/09
‘H1N1 virus threatens recovery’ –PATA – 16/07/09
Print
Email