According to the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) half-year world tourism figures this year reported a 6.4% rise compared to those of last year, with the absolute number being 598 million people between January and June this year. This figure is the largest international tourism figure that the world has seen in the last seven years. Rising business confidence and a strong outbound demand from Britain, China and France drive the growth in tourist numbers, especially in the Mediterranean. Countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey, which had previously seen a slump in visitors thanks to several terrorist attacks are now showing rise in tourism figures, with Mediterranean destinations reporting growth in double-digit figures. North Africa and the Middle East recorded an increase of 16% and 8.9% respectively, while Europe’s tourists rose by 7.7%. Asia and the Pacific posted a 5.7% growth while South America tourism grew at 6%. North America, however, only posted a 2% rise. International tourist arrival figures posted an increase of 3.9% from the previous year to 1.23 billion, and this year the UN expects the figure to grow by 3 to 4 percent.
