A record 467 million tourists traveling in the first half of 2012 assures that the international tourism is on track to reach one billion tourists by the end of this year, reports UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

Despite concerns over the global economy, international tourism demand continues to show resilience. The number of international tourists worldwide grew by 5 per cent between January and June 2012 compared to the same period of 2011 (22 million more). Although a slight slowdown in growth can be expected for the rest of the year, international arrivals are forecast to exceed one billion by the end of 2012.

“Amid the current economic uncertainty, tourism is one of the few economic sectors in the world growing strongly, driving economic progress in developing and developed countries alike and, most importantly, creating much needed jobs,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, opening the Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macao.

“As we lead up to the milestone of one billion, we need to ensure that the tourism sector is supported by adequate national policies and that we work to reduce existing barriers to the expansion of the sector, such as complicated visa procedures, increased direct taxation or limited connectivity,” he added.

In terms of outbound markets, and among the top ten countries by expenditure on travel abroad, growth was significant in China (+30 per cent), the Russian Federation (+15 per cent), USA (+9 per cent), Germany (+6 per cent) and Canada (+6 per cent). In Japan, an eight per cent increase in spending on overseas tourism confirms the recovery of this important market. On the other hand, growth was comparatively slow or negative in the UK, Australia, Italy and France.