2009-2013 trends and statistics of tourism in Zimbabwe

 Tourist arrivals in January and February 2013 are estimated to have grown by 3.6% compared to the same period last year. In the first two months of 2013 a total of 137 million international tourist arrivals were recorded worldwide, about 5 million more than the same period in 2012. According to UNWTO’s forecasts published in the January edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals are expected to increase by 3% to 4% in 2013. Available information for the first two months of 2013 shows a 3.9% increase in tourist arrivals in emerging economies, and a 3.2% increase in advanced economies.

 This is due to strong growth in emerging economies (especially in South-East Asia and Central and Eastern Europe), and more moderate growth in some of the advanced economy destinations. Asia and the Pacific saw the fastest growth with a 5% increase in international tourist arrivals. At the sub-regional level, South-East Asia recorded the highest increase, with 11% more arrivals than in early 2012, fueled largely by Thailand(+19%) and Cambodia (+18%). Europe (+4%) overall reported comparatively robust results despite the economic uncertainties. Available data shows Central and Eastern Europe growing 9% due to strong results in emerging destinations such as Georgia (+37%) and Armenia (+23%), while Northern Europe recorded a 5% increase on the back of robust growth in Denmark (+8%), Ireland (+7%) and Norway (+6%). The Middle East recorded an estimated 5% growth, though largely based on data from Egypt (+11%) where the recovery continues. Results are rather mixed in the Americas (1%), with small declines in the Caribbean, Central America and South America (in all three cases following strong results in the same months of 2012). Africa also recorded a decline in arrivals during this early part of the year, with 2% fewer international tourist arrivals than the same period in 2012. Again, this is predominantly based on information from a limited number of major destinations such as Morocco (+3%), Tunisia (-2%) and SouthAfrica (-4%). Source: UNWTO – May Edition (May 2012)