Destination Trends 2012

Last updated - 10 January, 2012

= Last Year, = Forecasted Year, = Current Year

USA

International visitor arrivals to the USA edged up 5.1% during the first nine months of 2011 to reach 47.37 million, fuelled largely by markets in the Americas home region. Numbers from European source markets have also firmed up somewhat (+7.0%), but in terms of percentage growth terms it is still China that dominates (+37.3%).

Strong performing source markets during the January-September period were:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

China (+37.3%)

Brazil (+27.9%)

Switzerland (+22.0%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

Canada (+971,300)

Brazil (+233,400)

China (+231,100)

Nepal

International visitors arriving to Nepal by air grew at a strong rate of 21.5% (year on year), during the first 11 months of 2011. Northeast Asia (+36.2%) led the pack in percentage growth terms, followed by South Asia (+32.0%) and Southeast Asia (+15.9%).

Strong performing source markets during the January-November period were:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

China (+74.4%)

Israel (+57.4%)

India (+40.5%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

India (+38,200)

China (+1,720)

USA (+4,200)

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka registered a double-digit gain in international visitor arrivals for another month with a 25.8% rise in November 2011. Total foreign inbound traffic for the January-November period has grown by 33.1%, thanks to an across-the-board bullish contribution from all sub-regions. In aggregate numeric gain terms, Europe has been the the star performer so far this year, followed by South Asia.

Strong performing source markets during the January-November period were:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

Sweden (+140.1%)

Belgium (+96.3%)

Thailand (+76.5%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

India (+42,800)

France (+16,900)

Germany (+9,100)

Chinese Taipei

Chinese Taipei posted an 8% increase in international visitor arrivals during the first 11 months of 2011, primarily because of a strong contribution from origin markets in neighbouring Northeast Asia (+8.8%) and Southeast Asia (+14.8%). At this current rate of growth, foreign arrivals traffic will most likely pass the 6-million mark by the end of the year.

Strong performing source markets during the January-November period were:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

Indonesia (+25.0%)

Singapore (+21.2%)

Japan (+17.8%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

Japan (+174,300)

China (+94,100)

Singapore (+42,200)

Although international visitor arrivals to Japan dipped by almost 31% during the first 10 months of 2011, arrivals in October started to improve with a lower rate of decline (-15.3%). In a promising sign inbound traffic from Hong Kong SAR and Chinese Taipei bounced back in October with growth of +16.7% and +2.6% respectively.

Major source market performances during the January-October period included the following:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

India (-13.5%)

Chinese Taipei (-24.4%)

USA (-24.9%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

India (-7,700)

Russian Federation (-15,700)

Malaysia (-25,900)

Lao PDR

The People’s Democratic Republic of Lao enjoyed a remarkable 22.2% growth in international visitor arrivals during the first nine months of 2011, with substantial increase in traffic from the principal neighbouring source markets of Vietnam (+64.2%) and Thailand (+17.8%). By the end of 2011, total foreign inbound numbers could well reach a record high of 3 million.

Strong performing source markets during the January-September period were:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

Brunei (+118.9%)

Vietnam (+64.2%)

Chinese Taipei (+63.6%)

2 . In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

Vietnam (+193,500)

Thailand (+192,300)

Korea (ROK) (+5,300)

Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand registered a negative result for November 2011 with a 17.9% drop in international visitor arrivals year-on-year, a direct consequence of the floods that inundated several Southeast Asia destinations. Never the less, with continued strong growth from Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, the Russian Federation and India, total foreign inbound traffic could still exceed the 18-million mark by the end of the year.

Strong performing source markets during the January-November period were:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

Russian Federation (+61.5%)

China (+57.6%)

Vietnam (+37.2%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

China (+574,100)

Russian Federation (+324,200)

Malaysia (+287,500)

Niue

International visitor arrivals to Niue contracted by 3.2% during the first nine months of 2011, triggered by a substantial loss in traffic from European source markets. While growth from the Pacific (+20.1%) and the Americas (+336.4%) was robust, these gains were not sufficient to offset the losses from other source markets.

Strong performing source markets during the January-September period were:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

Canada (+375.5%)

USA (+334.4%)

Australia (+19.1%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

USA (+699)

New Zealand (+386)

Canada (+184)

Tahiti

In spite of a 9.8% decrease in October 2011, Tahiti still commanded an overall growth rate of 6.5% in international visitor arrivals during the ten months to October 2011. Arrivals from key source markets in the Americas (+23.8%) remained robust, as did traffic from the Pacific (+8.0%). However inbound numbers from the major markets of Europe decreased by 4.1% in the January to October period.

Strong performing origin markets during the first ten months of 2011 include:

1. In percentage growth terms (year-on-year):

Hong Kong SAR (+1,500.0%)

Thailand (+80.3%)

Canada (+49.8%)

2. In volume gain terms (year-on-year):

USA (+7,800)

Canada (+2,100)

Australia (+1,000)