UNWTO/GTERC Annual Report on Asia Tourism Trends

Accounting for nearly one third of the world’s economy and over half the globe’s population, Asia and the Pacific has been at the forefront of tourism development in recent years. Strong GDP growth rates, coupled with a growing middle-class and rising disposable incomes, have led to a rapid increase in tourism in the region, especially out of China, which in 2012 became the world’s top spender in international tourism. In order to better understand the trends shaping Asia’s increasing role in international tourism, UNWTO has joined the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC), to develop a special report on Asia Tourism Trends to be presented on the occasion of the 2014 Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF). The report confirms the dynamism of Asia’s intraregional market as well as the relevance of China, both as an outbound market and an inbound destination. It further looks into key issues influencing the competitiveness and sustainability of tourism development in Asia and the Pacific, including Asia Tourism Trends and Outlook, The New Maritime Silk Road and the Key Tourism Agendas in Asia and the Pacific. In addition, special attention is made to the revival of Maritime Silk Road tourism, the theme of the GTEF 2014.