Asian travel industry recovering slowly – ITB
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Berlin, 21 December 2009. - Asian travel demand will close 5% down for 2009 in part due to sharp declines in travellers from South Korea. Longhaul destinations such as Europe are being hit hardest as Japanese, Chinese, Indians and Thais also choose to stay home or travel within Asia.
Travel demand for 2010 is likely to pick up, but spending is likely to lag at around 2005-2006 levels. Prospects for 2010 will be greatly determined by any return of consumer confidence in Japan and China.
These are just some of the key trends highlighted in the latest ITB World Travel Trends Report, commissioned by Messe Berlin, the organisers of ITB Berlin, and compiled by IPK International. The full report is now available free online at www.itb-berlin.com/media centre/publications.
The ITB World Travel Trends Report findings show that Asian travel demand averaged a more than a 10% decline January-June. However, some market recovery has been recorded since July 2009, indicating that the Asian travel industry is over the worst. IPK forecasts of a total-year decline of 5%.
While intra-Asian trip volume fell by only 5% from January through August 2009, travel to Europe (14% of total trips) was down 10%. Asian travel to the Americas (9% of all Asian trips) slumped by a more hurtful 15%.
The report notes that Chinese travellers may be more recession-proof than the Japanese, but they don’t spend as much. In Europe, for example, the total spend by Chinese tourists on transport, accommodation, food and beverages and incidentals (i.e. excluding shopping) was
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