Visitor Arrivals on the Rebound in Asia-Pacific

(Dive Travel Business News - February 4, 2010) -- The Pacific Region is regaining some lost ground as travel demand continued to pick up in the last few months of 2009. Visitor Arrivals were up according to preliminary figures from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) that showed International  visitors to the Asia Pacific region grew by 3% year-on-year in November 2009.

All the sub-regions, with the exception of the Americas, recorded growth in arrivals for the month. Southeast Asia led the Asia Pacific region’s recovery with a 15 percent increase in arrivals:  Malaysia grew 11%; Singapore was up 8%; Thailand was boosted by 26%; and Vietnam was up 37%.

Growth in international arrivals to Northeast Asia (China, Taipe, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau and Japan), averaged 2% for the month of November.  

In South Asia, overall growth was up 2% for the month of November with boosts in arrivals to the Maldives (up 7%), Nepal (up 8%) and Sri Lanka (up 20%) while India fell by 1 %.

The Pacific recorded a modest 1 % growth for the month on sluggish (but positive) with 3% growth in arrivals to Australia, a sluggish 0.3 % increase to New Zealand and 2% growth to Guam. Hawaii posted a 1% decline over the same period. 

The Americas also saw an aggregate decline for the month with a 3% drop in arrivals.

For more information, visit PATA.