Billion Dollar Tourism Market

The World Tourism Organization UNWTO (http://www.world-tourism.org) recently calculated that travellers spend more than two billion dollars daily. In 2005, tourists spent an estimated 682 billion dollars – a substantial three per cent more than the previous year. And Europe continues to lead the tourism sector: the European tourism industry generated a total of 347 billion dollars (51 per cent) last year. In North and South America, a total of 145 billion dollars (21 per cent) were made in tourism; Asia (incl. the Pacific region) generated 139 billion (20 per cent); the Near East 29 billion (4 per cent) and Africa around 21 billion dollars. (eap)