As in previous years, international tourism continues to grow in 2019, though not quite as strong as before. During the first eight months of this year outbound trips increased worldwide by 3.9 percent, one percentage point below 2018.
This year, Asia again recorded the highest growth in international travel, while Latin America saw a decline. Overall, the first trend analyses of IPK’s World Travel Monitor® indicate outbound travel will continue to grow also in 2020. The World Travel Monitor® is based on the results of representative interviews with more than 500,000 people in over 60 countries worldwide. It has been compiled for more than 20 years and is recognized as the most widescale continuous survey of global travel trends.
Outbound trips by Asians driving global growth
At six percent, Asia reported the world’s highest growth during the first eight months of this year, as it did in 2018. China, by far the continent’s largest source market, contributed to this upward trend with above-average growth of nine percent. During the first eight months, foreign trips by North Americans rose slightly above average, at 4.5 percent. Foreign travel by Europeans increased too, although at 2.5 percent they ranked well behind Asia and North America – and below last year’s figure. In contrast, during the first eight months, foreign trips by Latin Americans reflected a negative trend with a year-on-year decline of three percent.
Asia also a popular travel destination
Interest in Asia as a travel destination likewise shows an upward trend. With a six percent increase in visitors during the first eight months, it recorded higher growth than any other region in the world. Trips to Europe are popular too, with a global visitor growth by 3.5 percent, whereas trips to America only rose by two percent.
Further increase in holiday trips
During the first eight months of 2019, holiday trips increased globally by four percent, while business travel stagnated. However, this reflects two divergent trends. ”On the one hand we have the still-expanding MICE travel market, which during the first eight months grew by two percent, and in contrast the traditional business travel, which shrank by four percent over the same period“, said Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International.
City breaks are booming again – increase in cruises
After moderate increases last year, city breaks came back with strong growth with eight percent during the first eight months of 2019. With a global market share of close to 30 percent now, city breaks rank only slightly behind sun and beach holidays, which recorded a two percent rise during the first eight months. As well as round trips, which increased by three percent, the cruise market expanded too. Compared with last year its growth by six percent and therefore above average.
Safety image of travel destinations
Asked about the terror threat of individual destinations, the majority of global outbound travelers still rank destinations like Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia as particularly unsafe. The possibility of terror in these countries is seen as very high. With regard to safety, the USA, Mexico, South Africa, and France also have a poor image. In contrast, travel destinations like Scandinavia, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Portugal as well as Australia and Canada are perceived as safe, where the terror threat is seen as low, according to the latest findings from September of this year.
Positive outlook for 2020
Despite political and economic instability around the world, the data on travel intentions collected by IPK International points to a positive outlook for next year: For the global outbound travel market IPK forecasts for 2020 a plus of four percent. Outbound trips by Asians are expected to record the highest growth with five percent. For the European outbound trips a growth rate of three to four percent will be expected and for the Americans of three percent. These forecasts are based on the findings of the “World Travel Confidence Index” of IPK International, which as part of World Travel Monitor® polls people’s travel intentions for the next 12 months.
Further conclusive results showing 2019 travel trends will be published in future press releases. Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International, will present the final findings of the World Travel Monitor® for 2019 at the ITB Future Day of the ITB Berlin Convention along with forecasts for 2020.
About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2020 will be taking place from Wednesday, 4 to Sunday, 8 March, and from Wednesday to Friday will be open to trade visitors only. ITB Berlin is the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. In 2019 a total of 10,000 companies and organizations from 181 countries exhibited their products and services to around 160,000 visitors, including 113.500 trade visitors. Parallel with the show the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest event of its kind, will be held from Wednesday, 4 to Saturday, 7 March 2020. Admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is free for trade visitors and exhibitors. For more information please visit www.itb-berlin.com, www.itb-convention.com
