| Kippreport.com

Mideast tourism down by 6%

January 20, 2010 8:46 by kippreport

The number of tourists visiting the Middle East declined by six percent in 2009, although there could be positive growth this year, according to a report by the UN World Tourism Organisation [UNWTO].

The drop in international visitors to the Middle East was greater than the global decline, which UNWTO estimates at 4 percent.
The global economic crisis and the H1N1 pandemic were behind “one of the toughest years for the tourism sector”, said UNWTO’s Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

Middle East tourism is expected to return to positive growth in 2010.

A separate report by the United Nations, issued yesterday, points to a 3.6% economic growth in the Arab world in 2010.

Tags: Dubai, Middle East, tourism, UAE, UN World Tourism Organisation, UNWTO