According to UNWTO World Tourism Barometer's August Interim Update, international tourist arrivals increased by 7% for the first half of this year.
The growth is led by Asia Pacific and the Middle East, with 14% and 20% growth, respectively.
Asian countries such as Sri Lanka (49%), Japan (36%), Vietnam (35%) and Myanmar (35%) registered strong results, propelling Asia to become the second-most visited region in the world.
The positive growth rates, together with the improving global economy, suggest that year-end results may exceed UNWTO's forecast of 3% to 4%.
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