Global Tourism. New Volatility, Old Statistics

Abstract

In 2015 the scenario of global tourism has radically changed. The new scenario has shifted from the approach of the foregoing “closed-circuit” international tourism flows and the creation of different development centres of the tourism economy in the world taking over the global business that was previously in the hands of Europe and North America. The globalisation of tourism is unavoidable and, in many respects, positive. The creation of new tourist destinations and new countries generating outgoing tourism in different continents and areas worldwide determined, in those places, the growth of operators and the creation of tourist value-added chains that have gradually increased their strength and expansion. Therefore, in a global market of international tourism flows, routes followed by tourist expense and value added generated by such expense can differ considerably from the route that is physically followed by the tourism flow itself.