Statistics

International tourist arrivals grew by 4.5% in the first eight months of 2011 to a total of 671 million (29 million more than in the same period of 2010).

In its recently published Annual Safety Review, EASA confirms that 2010 is "the first year that no fatal accident in commercial air transport operations occurred in the history of aviation in Europe both for helicopter and aeroplane operations". In global terms, the accident rate in aviation has been declining steadily ever since the 1950s. 

The World Economic Forum has for the past five years engaged key industry and thought leaders through its Aviation, Travel & Tourism Industry Partnership Programme to carry out an in-depth analysis of the Travel & Tourism competitiveness of economies around the world. The aim is to provide a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue to ensure the development of strong and sustainable national Travel & Tourism industries capable of contributing effectively to international economic development.

International tourism recovered strongly in 2010 according to the Advance Release of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. International tourist arrivals were up by almost 7% to 935 million, following the 4% decline in 2009 – the year hardest hit by the global economic crisis. The vast majority of destinations worldwide posted positive figures, sufficient to offset recent losses or bring them close to this target.