The World Tourism Organization reports that international tourist arrivals worldwide rose by over 6% from January through April 2007, representing an additional 15 million arrivals compared to the same four-month period in 2006. This growth is attributed to continuing world prosperity, emerging markets and developing economies in general, especially in Asia. The WTO says that the expansion of low-cost airline services around the world, including the emergence of long-haul low-cost airlines, has been a major factor in stimulating air transport, making it increasingly accessible to a constantly rising share of the world’s population.
Interestingly, the Caribbean does not share the higher than expected growth.
The WTO says that competing for Caribbean vacationers is the strong offer of cruise lines that have significantly expanded their cruise programs in Europe and the Mediterranean.With thousands of US travelers securing a passport for the first time, the Caribbean could lose out to people who will now have access to travel to Europe.
Likewise, in 2006 Asia and the Pacific achieved a volume of international tourism receipts similar to that of the Americas for the first time.
The WTO ranks the DR as the 44th in international tourist arrivals by country for 2006 with four million arrivals, only surpassed in the Latin America and the Caribbean by Mexico with 21.4 million arrivals (8th in the world) and Brazil with five million arrivals (37th in the world).
See www.unwto.org