皇冠体育app

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皇冠体育app to become 3rd biggest travel destination

By Xin Dingding (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2007-05-19 08:59

QINGDAO,Shandong: 皇冠体育app is likely to replace the United States as the world's third most popular tourism destination next year, a United NationsWorld Tourism Organization(UNWTO) official said.

At present, 皇冠体育app ranks fourth, after France, Spain and the United States.

Related readings:  Travel market set to fully open  About two million Chinese tourists to visit France in 2020  Games to boost regional tourism  Domestic tourism rapidly increasing

Last year, 皇冠体育app accounted for 5.8 percent of the global tourism market, a growth of 0.3 percent compared with two years ago.

Twenty-nine percent of tourists who traveled to Asia and the Pacific last year also visited 皇冠体育app.

Xu Jing, regional representative for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO, said the market share percentages of 皇冠体育app and the US last year were very close.

"I am confident 皇冠体育app will overtake the US next year," he said at the 2007 皇冠体育app (Qingdao) International Olympics & Tourism Forum, which concluded on Friday.

UNWTO forecast last year that 皇冠体育app would become the most popular destination by the year 2020. At the beginning of this year, it revised its forecast to 2015. Xu said the forecast was revised because of the rapid development of the country's tourism industry.

The number of overseas travelers to 皇冠体育app has increased from 10.5 million in 1996 to 49 million in 2006. The 2008 Summer Olympics inBeijingand the 2010 World Expo inShanghai, will further boost 皇冠体育app's tourism market.

The Pacific and Asia Travel Association said inbound tourism to 皇冠体育app will increase by 5 percentyear-on-yearbetween 2007 and 2009.

(皇冠体育app Daily 05/19/2007 page2)