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Which Countries Get the Most Money and the Longest Total Nights from International Tourists?

Which Countries Get the Most Money and the Longest Total Nights from International Tourists?
Bangkok © Travel+Leisure

The Mastercard Asia Pacific Destinations Index revealed that whilst Bangkok remains the most visited destination in Asia Pacific, Singapore continues to beat the Thai capital in total visitor expenditure.

Over the past two years, Singapore has recorded a robust 18% growth in tourist spending. It attracted the highest spending visitors at US$254 per day, followed by Beijing at US$242, Shanghai at US$234, Hong Kong at US$211, and Taipei at US$208.

Bangkok was at $145, according to the global payment service company.

Spurred by Asia-Pacific's burgeoning middle class, overall tourism expenditure in the region jumped from $142 billion in 2009 to $245 billion in 2016.

Mastercard reported that the mass of tourists from Northeast Asia had helped to boost these earnings. Key findings from the index revealed China (17.%) and South Korea (8.%) as the largest contributors to tourism expenditure in Asia-Pacific.

Singapore. Image: Four Seasons
Singapore. Image: Four Seasons

 

In fact, these two markets were also top source markets for Singapore (China #1), Bangkok (China #1) and Tokyo (Korea #1, China #2), the region’s leading destinations by visitor expenditure.

In terms of total nights, Bangkok, ranked number one by overnight arrivals at 19.3 nights, is also number one for total nights stayed by international tourists at 87.6 nights.

It is the world’s fastest growing region for international tourism by GDP contribution, with tourism making up 8.5% GDP and 8.7% total employment last year.

"The center of the universe is moving to Asia," David Scowsill, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, told CNBC. He cited high growth figures in the region and said, "A lot of this [growth] is driven by China. The Chinese market has gone from 58 million (outbound trips) in 2010 to 135 million now."

 


Source : Singapore Business Review | Bangkok Post | CNBC

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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