INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FORECASTS

In 2001, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), international tourist arrivals worldwide fell by 0.5% in 2001, attributed in large part to an 11% slump in the final four months of the year after the terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September. Prospects for the travel industry have been portrayed as bleak ever since, but the publication of this report comes at a time of genuine recovery across the board. However it is to be hoped that this is not another false dawn, as represented by the result in 2002 when the 700 million arrivals mark was surpassed for the first time thanks to a 2.7% growth worldwide. In 2002, all regions, the Americas excepted, posted year-on-year increases, but recovery was brought to a halt in 2003 when a combination of SARS, conflict in Iraq and economic depression produced a decline of 1.2%. The slumps in 2001 and 2003 were not simply involuntary responses to terrorism and conflict. The desire to travel is such that if this was the case, then security fears would merely divert travel flows elsewhere to unaffected destinations. The fact that an actual decline occurred serves to emphasise the role of economics, and specifically recession, in this shortfall. A 'cooling period' in growth from the major outbound markets of Germany, Japan and the US had already been detected during the first eight months of 2001. The result was that worldwide, a growth rate of 4.3% in terms of tourist arrivals generated in the first eight months of 2000 had already retracted to 3% in 2001. Besides economics, a number of other factors had inhibited growth in the pre-September period that year. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict deterred Western travel to the Middle East, the outbreak of foot and mouth disease did likewise for the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands and the strength of the US dollar contributed to a shortfall in international arrivals to the US.

14. Speak about – travel and tourism development in Russia.

15. Explain why:

1. There was a temporary setback in tourism after the September 11, 2001 attack.

2. Receptive tourism is now growing in many developing countries very fast.

3. Tourism industry was severely hampered in Asia at the end of 2004.

4. Europe will remain the most popular destination for tourists in the next 10-15 years.

5. The number of space tourists will be low until technological improvements make it cheaper and more accessible.

16. Write an essay on the topic "Trends and Recent Developments of the Travel Industry in Russia".

17. Write an essay on the topic "Business travel in ..." (choose and city or country).

PROJECT WORK

Work out a week-long business travel program for a group of businessmen working in ... (choose any industry). Include meetings, visiting exhibitions, conferences or congresses and-sightseeing. Work out the itinerary comprised of one or several cities or countries. Make all necessary travel arrangements including visas, tickets, transfers and accommodations. Present your program to your clients.

Unit 12.

TEXT 1. CAREERS IN TRAVEL AND TOURISM

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 1789