(Dive Travel Business - May 13, 2011) -- The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) released preliminary figures for international visitor arrivals to the Asia and Pacific region for the first quarter of 2011. The results show a year-on-year increase of 5 percent. The sharp fall in arrivals to Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, coupled with the decline in arrivals from the Middle East and North Africa, contributed to the subdued 3 percent growth seen for the whole region in March. International visitor arrivals to South Asia grew by 10 percent in March and 13 percent in the first quarter. All the leading destinations in the Indian-subcontinent -- India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka -- reported double-digit growth for the quarter.
Southeast Asia (up 10 percent) also had a strong quarter after recording growth of 10 percent in arrivals for the month of March. The majority of the destinations in the sub-region reported strong positive results, particularly Myanmar (up 30 percent), Cambodia (up 18 percent) and Thailand (up 14 percent). read more »
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