MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

World tourism industry expanded 10% in 2004

World tourism expanded 10% in 2004, involving 760 million international visits, revealed Francesco Frangialli during the opening of the XXV International Tourism Fair, Fitur 2005 in Madrid, Spain.

The recent tsunami tragedy was very much present during the opening speech of Mr. Frangialli president of the World Tourism Organization who described it "as a unprecedented tragedy which closed an exceptional year".

WTO president underlined it was "the most important catastrophe in the tourist industry's history although for years, tourism has learnt to live with uncertainty and insecurity without having collapsed".

But Mr. Flangialli also spoke of the "shocking paradox" of the tsunami tragedy in south eastern Asia since it "will have a marginal effect for the tourism industry", and will not have an impact in the growth tendency forecasted for 2005.

The statement was supported with information showing that countries which suffered the tsunami full impact receive 3% of international visitors and those particularly impacted, less than 1%.

Mr. Flangialli recalled that when the financial crisis of 1997/98 and its repercussions; when the 2003 Asian chicken flue epidemic, countries reacted rapidly and "will do it again if necessary", because a whole "compensation mechanism" has been established at world level.

WTO president underlined it was "no time for delays" and that the tourism industry must begin to work immediately in the tsunami area helping "to restore hope" among those countries. He revealed that an extraordinary meeting of WTO with private and financial operators will be held in Phuket, Thailand, one of the resorts most damaged, as "an example of solidarity".

The FITUR XXV edition in Madrid which will last until next January 30 has attracted 11.516 companies and institutions linked to one of the fastest growing industries of the world.

According to the preliminary 2004 report, this "historic year" showed certain areas of Asia undergoing a 30% expansion, followed by a double digit growth in Latinamerica and a modest 4% in the "saturated" Western European market.