Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Chile, Nigeria and Singapore have been highlighted by World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, participants as the next set of emerging travel and tourism powerhouses.

The World Travel Market Industry Report 2012 asked 1,300 exhibitors and senior buyers from the WTM Meridian Club to rank destinations in order of their tourism potential. Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Chile, Nigeria and Singapore emerged, leading to the latest industry acronym – the TUSKCNS.

Last year, the report introduced the SLIMMA nations (Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Argentina) as the second tier of emerging tourism economies behind the BRICS powerhouses of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

This year, the SLIMMA nations remain the most important to the global trade after the BRICS. Argentina was the most cited of the SLIMMA countries followed by Mexico, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The third tier does include countries which are starting to make their presence felt.  Nigeria is highlighted in this year’s WTM Global Trends Report, in association with Euromonitor International. The reports reveals how the Nigerian film industry – dubbed Nollywood – has lifted the country’s profile, with Africans making use of the no-frills airline routes to visit locations made famous in the movies.

The report follows World Travel Awards hosting its inaugural ceremony in Singapore.

Asia’s travel elite has walked off with top honours at a World Travel Awards (WTA) ceremony hosted in Singapore on Thursday 18th October 2012. A packed delegation of VIPs, senior tourism figures and international media travelled from 42 nations to attend the event at InterContinental Singapore, which was held in partnership with Singapore Tourism Board and TravelRave 2012, Asia’s most influential travel trade festival.

Singapore’s booming aviation market was acknowledged with Singapore Airlines picking up awards for “Asia’s Leading Airline” and “Asia’s Leading Airline Business Class”.

WTA’s Grand Final also include its Middle East Ceremony, which was held in the United Arab Emirates. The rapidly-emerging nation is widely accessible thanks to its strong aviation sector, with other parts of the region threatening the dominance of Dubai.

Chile could be benefit from Latin America’s increased profile this decade while Singapore is attractive to luxury-goods-seeking Chinese visitors. Thailand continues to welcome backpackers and flashpackers alike.

Reed Travel Exhibitions Chairman World Travel Market Fiona Jeffery said: “In the year that more than one billion global trips take place for the first time a number of countries are growing their tourism potential.

“Last year the World Travel Market Industry Report highlighted the SLMIMMA nations as competitors to the BRICS and now the TUSKCNS are set to compete with them both.”