North Africa's tourism sector grew by 22.6% last year, three times faster than any other region in the world and five times faster than the global average of 4.6%, according to a major new study by the World Travel Council. and tourism (WTTC).
Egypt was the growth driver, with tourism's contribution to GDP increasing by 72.9% compared to 2016.
According to the study, Tunisia also showed recovery from the terrorist attacks, with a 7.61% increase. In Turkey, tourism's contribution to GDP increased by 17.1%, while in Turkey, tourism's contribution to GDP increased by 1.71%.
Countries previously hit by terrorism and political unrest began to show signs of strong recovery in 2017, the report said.
Thus, the economy of Egypt grew by 4.11%, in Tunisia by 2.1%, and in Turkey by 7.1%.
Overall, in 2017, tourism contributed $21.1 billion to Egypt's GDP (11.01% of total GDP), $5.7 billion to Tunisia's (14.21% of total GDP), and $98.4 billion to Turkey's (11.61% of total GDP). The sector also accounted for $8.51%, $13.01%, and $7.41% of total employment in each country, respectively.
“Thanks to the recovery in 2017 and promising forecasts for 2018, these countries may well return to their pre-crisis levels,” the report says.
"The experiences of Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey, as well as France, Belgium, and other countries that have suffered terrorist attacks in recent years, demonstrate the importance of focusing on security. Security is paramount, and in the coming years, it will be vital that tourism utilizes the latest technologies to ensure safe travel," he says. Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC.
According to her, opportunities for industry cooperation in the field of security and biometrics will be discussed at the upcoming WTTC World Summit on April 18-19, 2018, in Buenos Aires.
Source: trn-news.ru
