São Paulo – Revenues from international tourism in the Middle East climbed 3% in 2018, shows a new report from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) released on Thursday (6). The revenue from international tourism hit USD 1.7 trillion last year, a 4% increase in real terms over 2017. For the seventh year in a row, tourism revenue – goods and services – grew faster than merchandise exports (which climbed 3%), reflecting a solid demand for international travel in a robust economic environment, the report shows.
International tourism revenue accounts for 29% of global service exports and 7% of overall exports of goods and services. These figures consolidate international tourism among the top five economic sectors in the world, behind chemical manufacturing and the fuel industry but ahead of the food and automotive industries.
By regions, Asia and the Pacific led with a 7% growth in international tourism receipts, followed by Europe with a 5% increase. The Middle East saw a 3% growth, while Africa (+1%) and the Americas (0%) recorded more modest results. Central and Eastern Europe and Northeast Asia (both +9%) were the subregions with the strongest growth.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
