By PHILIP MWAKIO

International tourism grew by 5 per cent in the first eight-months of this year, to reach a record 747 million, driven mostly by strong results in Europe and Asia.

The United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said global tourist arrivals reached 747 million worldwide between January and August, some 38 million more than in the same period last year.

Demand for international tourism remained strong throughout the first eight-months of 2013, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. According to UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai while global economic growth is in low gear, international tourism continues to produce above average results in most world regions, offering vital opportunities for employment and local economies.

“This is particularly important for Europe, where unemployment is a major concern in many destinations and where the tourism sector has been a source of job growth in the last decade,” he said in a statement.

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Furthermore, he added, through its value chain, tourism creates businesses and jobs in many other sectors and produces significant export revenues, which contribute favourably to the balance of payments in many countries.

More arrivals

Europe benefited the most from the growth of tourism in the first eight-months of 2013, according the report, with an estimated 20 million more arrivals in the region.

“Given that Europe is the world’s largest tourism region with many mature destinations, a 5 per cent growth rate is very positive,” UNWTO said in the statement.

Africa, where growth was by led by the recovery of North Africa, with a growth of 6 per cent, received two million extra arrivals, while in the Middle East arrivals rebounded by seven per cent after two years of registering decline.

Central and Eastern Europe, growing at 7 per cent and Southern and Mediterranean Europe 6 per cent, also performed particularly well while Asia and the Pacific, grew at 6 per cent during the period under review.