China’s Travel Industry to Go Spain’s One Better by 2010, UNWTO Says

The latest forecast from United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has projected that China is poised to surpass Spain as the world’s second most popular destination after France.

“With its great tourist capacity it could surpass Spain by 2010,” said UNWTO secretary-general Francesco Frangialli. “As well as sending millions of tourists abroad in recent years, China is set to receive more visitors.”

Official figures compiled by UNWTO show arrivals increased by 6 percent compared to 2005 arrivals at 49.6 million, despite a higher local currency. In the last 18 months to the end of 2006, the Chinese yuan gained about 6 percent against the US dollar.

Chinese travelers are now allowed to visit 132 countries, under the Chinese government’s much-coveted “Approved Destination Status” accord with foreign countries.

China has also consolidated its status as Asia’s largest outbound tourism market, with its Ministry of Public Security confirming 34.5 million Chinese traveled overseas, an 11 percent rise in 2006. After an estimated 31 million Chinese traveled abroad in 2005, UNWTO estimates that by 2020, outbound traffic will spike to 100 million.