World Tourism Shaky

In 2002, international tourism and related activities generated anestimated 199 million jobs—one in every 13 positions worldwide. Despite an industry slowdown caused by the September 2001 terrorist attacks and the global economic situation, tourism-related spending accounted for some $4.2 trillion of global economic activity in 2002.

Europe remained the top tourist destination, capturing 58 percent of arrivals in 2002, though its share of the world's tourists continues to fall from a high of 75 percent in 1964. France was the most visited country in 2002, followed by Spain, the United States, Italy, and China. For the first time, in 2002, the share of the world's tourists visiting East Asia and the Pacific surpassed the portion visiting the Americas. The SARS outbreak, however, has had an effect on patterns in the Asian region.

Source:

Tourism Growing But Still Shaky, Vital Signs 2003, pp. 50-51.

Worldwatch Links:

Vital Signs 2003 press release
More research from Worldwatch

Additional Resources:

World Tourism Organization
World Travel and Tourism Council