PATA releases 2001 Annual Statistical Report

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has released the PATA 2001 Annual Statistical Report, the most authoritative barometer for travel and tourism performance in the Pacific Asia region.

The report shows that arrivals to the Pacific Asia region held relatively steady at over 171.3 million during 2001, in spite of the various economic, political and social upheavals that beset the year generally. Within Pacific Asia, Northeast and Southeast Asia posted positive gains of three percent and 5.2 percent respectively. The most notable increase within Asia came from Malaysia where arrival figures soared 25 percent. Other main performers were Cambodia, China (PRC), Malaysia and Mongolia which all saw percentage gains in excess of 10 percent in 2001.

In the Pacific region, New Zealand increased by 6.9 percent and Fiji by 18.3 percent. The Americas obviously suffered during 2001, particularly the United States. Nevertheless, Canada retained a positive performance from the U.S., its largest market.

The 179-page report also shows detailed arrival statistics for 2001 compared to 2000 for more than 40 nations in the region, from American Samoa and Australia to Vanuatu and Vietnam. Much of the report compares outbound travel for over 100 countries in Pacific Asia over the last five years. There appears to have been a relative shift in market-share of visitor arrivals with Northeast and Southeast Asia gaining at the expense of South & Central Pacific, South Asia and the Americas. Substantial decreases in arrivals to the Americas following the September 11 attacks, suggests a significant growth and shift in traffic to Asia.

The PATA 2001 Annual Statistical Report also contains miscellaneous tables with a smorgasbord of useful information such as average length of stay, visitor expenditure, currency exchange rates, average hotel room occupancy rates, national tourist organisation budgets and international air frequency and capacity.

PATA’s Strategic Information Centre Managing Director, Mr. John Koldowski said: "In looking back over the last five years, the Annual Statistical Report provides a useful benchmark for recording progress in the face of shifting market and world forces. When used in conjunction with its sister report, Pacific Asia Tourism Forecasts 2002-2004, the reader will obtain an unbeatable overview of travel in our region.” 

The PATA 2001 Annual Statistical Report costs US$250 to PATA Members and US$350 for PATA chapter members and non-members.