International visitors to Asia Pacific region decline by three per cent in 2009: PATA

Preliminary figures released recently by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) indicate that the numbers of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region fell by an estimated three per cent year-on-year for calendar year 2009. This is a much improved result considering the fact that the rate of decline was six per cent for the first half of the year. The stronger-than-expected pick up in travel demand in the second half of the year saw visitor arrivals to the region grow by one per cent year-on-year in the July-December period.

Southeast Asia emerged as the only sub-region in Asia Pacific to record a full-year gain in international arrivals during 2009. Visitor numbers rose one per cent year-on-year, supported by Myanmar (+26 per cent), Malaysia (+ seven per cent), Indonesia (+ one per cent) and Cambodia (+ two per cent). Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam, on the other hand, recorded full-year declines of three per cent, four per cent and ten per cent respectively.  

Arrivals to Northeast Asia fell by two per cent in 2009, the second straight year of decline for the sub-region after a similar two per cent fall in 2008.