World tourism numbers up 4.6pc in first half: UN
International tourist numbers grew 4.6 percent in the first half of 2014, boosted by strong growth in the Americas, Asia and parts of Europe, the World Tourism Organisation said Wednesday.
The number of international tourists surged to around 517 million between January and June, 22 million more than during the same time last year, the Madrid-based United Nations body said in a statement.
"These results show that tourism is consolidating the positive performance of recent years, providing development and economic opportunities worldwide", said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
"Despite geopolitical and economic challenges, the number of international tourist arrivals has grown by five percent a year on average since 2010, a trend that has translated into more economic growth, more exports and more jobs," he added.
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