The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) today released the preliminary Asia Pacific* international visitor arrivals figures for the month of June 2010, showing year-on-year growth in arrivals of 17%. For the first half-year of 2010, international visitor arrivals to the region grew by a robust 11%, as compared to the same period last year.

Northeast Asia2 enjoyed buoyant growth in visitor arrivals of 19% in June 2010, the highest among other sub-regions in terms of growth for the month. Arrivals to the sub-region were boosted by strong increases in numbers to Chinese Taipei +46%, Hong Kong SAR +44%, Japan +60%, Korea (ROK) +35% and Macau SAR +31%. Overall, international visitor arrivals to Northeast Asia grew by 11% during the first half year of 2010.

Arrivals to South Asia3 grew by 13% in June, supported by significant year-on-year growth recorded by Sri Lanka +48%, the Maldives +22% and Nepal +16%. India posted a comparatively much more moderate growth of eight per cent, while Bhutan saw a minor decline of one per cent for the month. For the first-half year, arrivals to the sub-region increased 15%, making South Asia the fastest growing sub-region within Asia and the Pacific.

Southeast Asia4 led the region’s recovery in the second half of 2009 and the positive momentum remained strong in the first six months of 2010. Arrivals to the sub-region rose 11% year-on-year in June and 13% for the six-month period to June 2010. Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam experienced a strong revival in visitor arrivals for the period under review, though Thailand’s first-half year growth of 14% came mainly from the first three months of the year. Growth in the second quarter of the year for the popular destination was –4% due to the political turmoil.

After registering declines in April and May, arrivals to the Pacific5 picked up in June to post a 12% increase. Arrivals to Australia and New Zealand were the main contribution to the sub-region’s rebound, with arrival growth of 11% and eight per cent respectively for the month. The majority of the smaller Pacific island destinations also showed increases in arrivals in June, though growth remained uneven. For the first-half of the year, visitor arrivals to the Pacific grew by a modest four per cent.

[The Leader of Asia Pacific Travel and Tourism]

1 Results are preliminary, estimates used for missing data
1 Asia & the Pacific include the following sub-regions but exclude the North America (Canada, Mexico and USA) for the purposes of press releases:
Northeast Asia = China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea (ROK), Macau and Mongolia
Southeast Asia = Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam
South Asia = Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
The Pacific = Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern Marianas, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu
2 Excludes Mongolia ; no data at the time of reporting.
3 Excludes Pakistan ; no data at the time of reporting.
4 Excludes Lao PDR; no data at the time of reporting.
5 Excludes Tonga ; no data at the time of reporting.