Asia will dominate global tourism in future: UNWTO

The Asian region will continue to lead the global tourism growth in the coming years, with major emerging economies like China and India consolidating their position as the driving force behind it, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

"World tourism staged a remarkable recovery from the shock it suffered in 2008 and 2009 due to the global economic downturn and primarily the emerging Asian nations were the engine for the rebound," the UNWTO said in its latest World Tourism Barometer published at ITB Berlin, the world's largest travel trade show.

The UNWTO forecast that the global tourism is set to grow in 2011, even though at a more moderate pace than in the previous year and emerging destinations, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, will continue to control the growth, "taking advantage of a far from exhausted demand from neighbouring countries".