The World Travel & Tourism Council today projected that China this year will surpass Japan and Germany to become the world's second-largest tourism and travel economy.
China's rapid pace surprised even WTTC forecasters.
"We knew it would go up, but we didn't realize it would go up that fast," said WTTC President Jean-Claude Baumgarten, following a presentation of the WTTC's global travel and tourism forecast at the ITB Berlin convention and trade show. "To move up into second by 2008 really is remarkable."
Baumgarten said China's move from the fourth-largest to second-largest travel and tourism market in a single year can be attributed to growth not only in inbound and outbound traffic but also to domestic travel, which he described as "exploding." He said an estimated 20% growth rate in domestic air is putting strains not only on China's military-controlled air-traffic-control system but also on its ability to supply enough pilots.
In addition to China's rapid rise, the WTTC's latest forecast sees global annual travel and tourism growth of 3% this year ,compared with 3.9% in 2007. The U.S., still the largest market, is seen as growing by a scant 1.1% in 2008, in sharp contrast to more rapid growth elsewhere, especially in Africa, the Asia Pacific region and the Middle East.
To contact reporter Lester Craft, send e-mail to [email protected].