Trends [antikvár]

Global Summary With terrorist attacks seemingly in the past, foreign travel in 1987 returned to levels of the early 1980s. In spite of a weakened U.S. dollár against other currencies, many U.S. citizens ventured overseas. So did Europeans, who headed for the Caribbean Region in record numbers. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has encouraged its citizens to travel abroad to help offset a trade surplus. Mexico's tourism industry experienced a strong year in 1987, as visitor arrivals rose 17 percent and the average stay was 10 nights. Occupancy increased 11.8 percent, the highest of any region surveyed. Foreign visitors, 90 percent of who come from the United States, spent an average of $435 (U.S.). European visitors flocked to the Caribbean Region in record numbers (up 30 percent) in 1987, due to favorable exchange rates. These visitors tended to stay longer, helping to smooth out seasonal fluctuations. U.S. citizens, who compose 60 percent of Caribbean visitors, continue to visít; the islands, and occupancy rose 6.1 percent throughout the Caribbean. With the number of visitors from the U.S. up 19.4 percent, visitation to Great Britain increased 11.1 percent. Europeans alsó travelled to Britain in record numbers, up 9 millión, or 10.1 percent, from 1986. The increases helped Great Britain average a 72.2 percent occupancy level, up 5.7 percent. Coming at the start of the peak European travel season, the April 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plánt accident kept many U.S. citizens from travelling to Europe. In 1987, the Americans returned in great numbers, up 32 percent in Austria, 8 percent in Francé, and 7.2 percent in Denmark. The Japanese have discovered Denmark, with the number of visitors from Japan rising 20 percent. Europeans continued to journey to their neighboring countries in great numbers. I Political tensions between Irán and Iraq and the world oil glut dominated tourism activity in the Middle East in 1987. Bahrain's tourism receipts continued to fali, while Saudi Arabia's remained at 1986 [ levels. Visitation to the United Arab Emirates numE bered nearly 4 millión as resort hotels in Dubai and l Jebez Ali have proved popular with Germán and | Swiss tour operators. Tourism receipts increased to I $100 millión (U.S.) in Kuwait and rose 39 percent in I Israel. Kenya's government has targeted tourism as a foreign exchange earner, and government tourism initiatives helped to increase tourism arrivals by 9.6 percent to $344 millión (U.S.). Visitor arrivals increased 36.9 percent to nearly 1.8 millión in Egypt. Tourism activity continues to abound throughout the Pacific Basin. The occupancy level in Hong Kong, at 87.8 percent, is the highest in the region. Visitors to China increased in 1987, but the government has placed a ban on further hotel development in Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin, Xian, and Hangzhou due to a glut of rooms. Indonesia is diversifying its tourism markét by promoting destinations other than Bali and Djakarta. Visitation to Singapore rose 15.3 percent, due in part to the programs launched to increase the number of visitors. The government of Malaysia responded by setting up a Ministry of Tourism. Thailand's tourism increased 23.6 percent as the government has begun to promote smaller cities as destinations. Occupancy levels in Thailand averaged 82.6 percent, second only to Hong Kong's occupancy. Australia continues as a favorable destination for both U.S. and Japanese visitors. Tourism around the world holds great promise in 1988, with many countries actively pursuing campaigns to increase their numbers of foreign visitors. The Japanese are taking advantage of their strong currency to visit other ports of call, while Europeans have taken advantage of a declining U.S. dollár to vacation in the U.S., the Caribbean region, and Africa. Hurricane Gilbert ravaged portions of the Caribbean region and the Gulf Coast of Mexico in early autumn. Travel agents report that travelers are still interested in the Caribbean and Mexico, but away from the hard-hit areas. Early indications for 1988 indicate that tourism is again on the upswing, with high occupancy levels and increases in room rates. Overall, the outlook for international tourism continues to remain strong. Occupancy Occupancy worldwide increased 4.6 percent to a 70 percent annual average. Mexico and Latin America recorded the largest occupancy increases, 11.8 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively. Occupancy increases in Europe paralleled those around the world,