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Published on March 21, 2008

A "PATA Forecasts" report expects tourism revenue to top US$4.6 trillion (Bt144 trillion) and visitor arrivals to reach close to 500 million by the end of 2010.

Despite regional stock-market volatility and uncertainty over the local effects of a possible US recession, PATA is predicting robust average annual growth rates of 7-8 per cent.

John Koldowski, director of PATA's Strategic Intelligence Centre, explained that as many as two-thirds of all international arrivals in the Asia-Pacific were generated from within the region. While the market will be affected by the US slowdown, the medium-term outlook for most Asian economies is very strong, with growth rates well above world averages.

Koldowski said local issues and conflicts, including political and civil disruption in some markets, could pose a greater threat to tourism growth.

The 40 Asia-Pacific destinations covered by the report account for almost 98 per cent of all international arrivals measured and tracked across the region in a given year, making them a compelling measure of total activity across the wider Asia-Pacific region as defined by PATA.

Meanwhile, PATA's newly published "Asia Pacific Tourism Forecasts 2008-2010" predicts China, South Korea, Singapore and the US will experience strong growth in numbers of outbound travellers.

The Nation