Travel and tourism around the world

  Tourist travel has become a major scale phenomenon which is experiencing a growth. This activity has gone from a limited level for certain privileged people to a simple pleasure at the general level of social and economic life available to all budgets.

   Thus, travelling is no longer a means of exploring other horizons without contributing in any way to the country visited. But thanks to the increasing number of travellers and to Western awareness, it also contributes to the economic development of host countries.

   In addition, in 2000 there were 60 million trips all around the world. After a period of stagnation, tourist trips met a particular increase after 2004. Africa totalised an estimated 44 million travellers in 2007, with an annual increase of 7%. However, unlike sub-Saharan Africa, Northern Africa experiences a better increase, in particular Morocco, with 14% alone.

As for travellers’ favourite destinations, especially holiday travellers, Europe unquestionably occupies the first place. Europe recorded more than 50% of international traveller arrivals in 2007, which corresponds to 480 million international tourists. Moreover, with the slowing down of tourist activity in 2008, all the world’s great regions met a decline in the number of tourist trips, with the exception of Africa during 2009. Thus, it should seem quite evident that Africa shall meet a positive growth from now until 2010 in the number of international tourists. It should be said that Africa is a rich and varied continent that holds an enormous potential often badly exploited.