After several years of declining spending, Russian tourists have once again begun spending more money abroad. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in the first ten months of 2017, Russians spent 27% more on travel than in the same period the previous year.
In terms of growth, Russia was second only to Brazil, whose residents increased their spending abroad by 331%, Interfax reports. Chinese citizens were in third place (+191%).
Tourism continues to grow worldwide. According to UNWTO data, 1.1 billion tourists traveled between January and October of this year—71,000,000, or 70 million, more international arrivals than in the first ten months of last year.
In Europe, international arrivals grew by 81%, driven by a 131% increase in tourist arrivals to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, largely driven by Turkey. In Western Europe, tourist arrivals grew by 71%, in Northern Europe by 61%, and in the Central and Eastern European regions by 41%. Tourist arrivals to Africa grew by 81%, driven by a 131% increase in the northern part of the continent and by 51% in sub-Saharan Africa.
In the Asia-Pacific region (+5%), the increase in tourist arrivals was driven by increased travel to South Asia (+10%), Southeast Asia (+8%), and Oceania (+7%). Northeast Asia added only 3% compared to last year's figures.
Arrivals in South America increased by 71%, while in Central America and the Caribbean they grew by 41%. Tourist arrivals to North America grew by only 21%: the robust performance of Mexico and Canada contrasts with the decline in international tourist arrivals to the United States.
Source: travel.ru
