International Visitor Arrivals into Asia Pacific destinations during May 2012 showed a collective gain of three per cent year-on-year according to preliminary results released today by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

This was the second consecutive month with a declining growth rate and heralds the impact of the various economic contagions across the globe.

For the first five months of 2012, the average growth in international visitor arrivals into Asia Pacific destinations was six per cent up year-on-year.

North America is showing a similar but more volatile growth pattern.

After registering a solid 12 per cent increase in foreign arrivals during March, the growth trend reduced to just 0.5 per cent in April and then contracted by one per cent in May 2012.

Canada and the USA managed to sustain positive growth of two per cent and one per cent respectively during the month but a contraction in international arrivals into Mexico for both April and May (down six per cent each month) has affected the overall sub-regional performance.

A slowing of intra-regional travel demand was the major negative factor along with a four per cent drop in UK arrivals.