Terrorism fails to halt growth in tourism worldwide

A total of 842 million international tourist arrivals were recorded last year, an increase of 4.5 per cent, the Madrid-based World Tourism Organisation said.

This follows a 5.5 per cent jump in 2005. But such strong growth figures are expected to slip in the future - the forecast for 2007 is 4 per cent - as the travel industry braces itself for possible energy tax rises imposed to fight climate change.

Rising interest rates in some countries, and the impact on household debt, could also take its toll on travel, the report said.

Africa posted the biggest growth rate in 2006 at 8.1 per cent, benefiting from travellers' fears of terrorism elsewhere in the world.

"Although no destination is immune to terrorist attacks, sub-Saharan Africa in particular is seen as being a long way from the centre of zones of tension and unrest," the agency said in a report.

Africa is also a lure because of its natural resources,including wildlife, and its appeal as a place for "authentic" experiences for holidaymakers.

Europe and the Middle East both posted growth rates of 4 per cent, while Asia and the Pacific saw an increase of 7.6 per cent.

This strong performance was due "in no small part" to the recovery of Thailand and the Maldives islands from the destruction caused by the tsunami in December 2004, and good showings by countries including Japan and China.

The region with the weakest growth was the Americas - just 2 per cent - due mainly to stagnation in arrivals in North America.

However, the United States remained the world's top tourism destination by the measure of revenue from tourism, followed by France and Spain.