Page 189 - sustainable tourism-- Dr.Aya

robust growth in tourism was sustained in the

first four months of the year 2013 when an

extra 12 million tourists traveled worldwide

(total tourists traveling were 298 million) in

comparison to the same period during 2012

when the total tourists traveling were 286

million (UNWTO, 2013c). According to

‗UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai

―…Tourism is thus one of the pillars that

should be supported by governments around

the world as part of the solution to stimulating

economic growth,‖‘ (UNWTO, 2013a). This is

further corroborated by the fact that the ‗direct

contribution to world GDP is set to grow by

4.4% on an average per year over the next ten

years‘ from 2013–2023. By 2023 ‗Travel and

Tourism‘s total contribution will account for

10% GDP and 1 in 10 jobs‘ (WTTC, 2013).

Growth of tourism in Asia and the Pacific

region shows the highest average annual

growth rate in the period 2005–2012 and is

growing at 6.2% followed by Africa at 6%. In

Asia, South East Asia and South Asia showed

the highest average growth rate at 8.3% and

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