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Tags:The World Travel and Tourism Council has forecast sustained growth in the travel industry over the next decade.

Speaking at a German Trade Show in Berlin, the President of the World Travel and Tourism Council, Jean-Claude Baumgarten predicted that turnover throughout the industry would almost double over the next ten years, going from $7,000 to $13,000 in 2017.

Despite a very favourable long-term forecast, Baumgarten voiced caution against over-optimism about sales during the next 12 months.

He said: “Growth this year is not expected to be as dynamic as 2006, but I have never seen such a strong world economy.

“It is so strong that high oil prices have not affected demand. Everything but government expenditure on tourism is positive.”

China is expected to overtake Japan and become the world’s second biggest travel and tourism economy.

Abercrombie and Kent chief executive Geoffrey Kent, who is chairman of WTTC, said: “I’m puzzled that politicians still don’t take travel and tourism seriously and integrate it into planning.”

The USA, as well as enjoying a very healthy stream of incoming tourists is the number one.

The WTTC represents many of the world’s major travel companies.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 9th, 2007 at 11:17 am and is filed under Holidays-Direct. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.