World Economic Forum concerned about overtourism
The World Economic Forum's biennial study on travel and tourism competitiveness says the sector keeps growing globally. But gaps in resources and infrastructure make it hard for some nations to meet rising demand.
Global tourism on the rise
WEF's latest Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report (TTCR) ranks 140 nations on their relative strenghts in managing tourist inflows. International arrivals surpassed 1.4 billion in 2018 globally, challenging many nations' infrastructure capacities.
Japan tourism blossoming
A regional breakdown of the WEF report reveals that Japan remains the most competitive travel economy in the Asia-Pacific region, ranking 4th globally. It's witnessed a boom in foreign tourist arrivals. China for its part remains the region's largest tourism economy.
Everglades and much more
The United States is the top scorer in the Americas, toppling the UK from fifth place. The report says the world's largest economy has proven highly competitive in managing regional tourism. The nation's travel sector accounts for 20% of global GDP generated in the sector.
Spain claims victory
Six of the top-10 scorers come from Europe/Eurasia. Spain leads the table, followed by France. The WEF ranking has Germany in third position, confirming its role as western Europe's largest travel economy with an advanced hotel and traffic infrastructure to its credit.
Floating toward unsustainability?
Some nations are fast approaching a tipping point when rising tourism is not met with sufficient management capacities. Overcrowding can become dangerous, and there's a backlash from many residents who feel their way of life gets increasingly disrupted by tourists.