GLOBAL: Growth in international tourism Wed, 22 Oct 2014 12:58:54 GMTInternational tourist arrivals grew by 4.6% in the first half of 2014 according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Destinations worldwide received 517 million international tourists between January and June 2014, 22 million more than in the same period of 2013. Growth was strongest in the Americas (+6%) followed by Asia and the Pacific and Europe (both at +5%). By sub region, South Asia and Northern Europe (both +8%) were the best performers, together with North-East Asia and Southern Mediterranean Europe (both +7%). For the full year 2014, international tourist arrivals are expected to increase by 4% to 4.5% worldwide, above UNWTO’s long-term forecast of 3.8% per year for the period 2010 to 2020. Growth picked up significantly in the Americas (+6%). All four sub regions benefited, with North America, boosted by Mexico, Central and South America all increasing by 6%, and the Caribbean by 5%. In South America (+6%), the hosting of the Football World Cup in Brazil contributed to the positive results in the sub region – receipts from international tourism in Brazil grew by 10% in the first seven months of the year with a 60% increase in June and July. Asia and the Pacific (+5%) consolidated the trend of recent years, with South Asia (+8%) and North-East Asia (+7%) in the lead and major destinations such as Japan, the Republic of Korea and Malaysia posting double-digit growth rates. The region has been benefiting from economic...

SOUTH KOREA: Pop group launches new medical tourism website for South Korea Visit Medical Korea, an integrated platform for Korean medical tourism, was launched in October by local pop group and honorary ambassador JYJ. Available in English, Japanese and Chinese, the Visit Medical Korea website provides up-to-date medical tourism information about beauty, herbal medicine, wellness, health screenings, and treatments ranging from minor health problems to serious illnesses. The site also contains travel information, medical tour packages, and a page where people can get online medical consultation. As an opening promotion, the site is offering 20% to 50% discounts on medical checkups, treatments and medical tour packages. By registering on the website and leaving a comment, users get a chance to win flight tickets, hotel vouchers, discount coupons for medical services and more. With the increased need to promote the country as a serious medical tourism destination, some in the local medical tourism industry are less than happy that Korea’s new top tourism officials are an entertainer and a professor with no experience in tourism. Johnny Yune, an actor and comedian, is the new inspector, and Byun Chu-seok, former visual design professor at Kookmin University, is the new president of the Korean Tourism Organization (KTO). The roles are more than figureheads, and the sector is a vital one with travel and tourism in 2013 directly and indirectly accounting for 5.8% of GDP and 1.58 million jobs, or 6.3% of total employment. The KTO’s labour union is critical of Yune and Byun,...

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