ITB
Berlin and IPK International present an analysis of the dynamic
developments and outbound travel volume of the BRIC countries in a
five-year comparison – Among the BRIC countries outbound trips have
grown at different rates: Russia leads, followed by China, while
Brazil and India lag far behind
They
all display dynamic economic growth but in terms of trips abroad the
picture is different for each country. When it comes to travelling
abroad and their economic situation the so-called BRIC countries*
display no similarities. Neither China and Brazil, the economic
powerhouses of the BRIC countries, nor China and India, the most
populous in this group, generate the largest volume of trips abroad –
instead it is Russia that leads the ranking in this category.
According to a special analysis of the World Travel Monitor
commissioned by ITB Berlin, there is no correlation between trips
abroad, economic prosperity and population density. Russia is the
most sparsely populated of these countries and its economy ranks
third, but in terms of outbound travel the Russians come first. They
undertake 1.3 times as many trips as the Chinese, 3.4 times as many
as Indians, and 4.6 times as many trips as Brazilians.
In
terms of growth in outbound trips Russia also ranks first. Five years
ago 15.9 million Russians and 13 million Chinese went on trips
abroad. According to the latest surveys, 23.8 million Russians and
18.3 million Chinese (not counting trips to Hong Kong and Macau,
which remain the most popular destinations) travel abroad. During the
period surveyed Russian lust for travel rose by 50 per cent, as
opposed to a 41 per cent increase among Chinese.
As
far as outbound travel from India and Brazil is concerned these BRIC
countries lag a relatively long way behind. At 7 million trips
abroad, India’s total exceeds that of Brazil (5.2 million trips).
However, developments in these countries over the last five years
show India growing by 30 per cent (previously 5.4 million trips
abroad in 2006) and Brazil expanding by 85 per cent (in 2006
Brazilians undertook only 2.8 million trips abroad). By comparison,
Brazil’s figures may indeed be lower and its economic growth less
than India’s, but the Brazilian market is the more dynamic of the
two. Looking at China and Russia, despite reporting a high outbound
volume for many years, Russia’s growth rate is higher than China’s.
Thus no parallels can be drawn between economic developments and the
number of trips abroad, as China has the highest economic growth
rate.
At
close to three billion, despite the population of the BRIC countries
being nearly six times larger than that of the EU (around 500
million), these countries’ citizens still travel abroad
considerably less. In 2011 they undertook 54 million trips abroad,
approximately six times less than EU citizens (345 million). Overall,
however, the volume of travel abroad in the BRIC countries continues
to grow. Five years ago the citizens of the BRIC countries undertook
nine times less trips abroad than Europeans.
Dr.
Martin Buck, director of the Competence Center Travel &
Logistics, Messe Berlin: “The tourism figures for the BRIC
countries, in particular for Russia, are very promising for the
tourism industries of the host countries and destinations. They show
that the BRIC countries are now catching up, not only economically
but as well in terms of outbound trips . This is a process that will
no doubt continue.“
*As
the period surveyed was from 2007 to 2011 it was not possible to
include South Africa (i.e. BRIC instead of BRICS).