Chandigarh: Observing that tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) today said that the Asia-Pacific region was the second most visited region in the world having received 167 million international guests in 2006.

"Tourism is performing well on a global basis. The Asia-Pacific region has a global market share of almost 20 per cent and the prospects for further growth are excellent," UNWTO Development Assistance Department director H Varma told reporters on the sidelines of signing an MoU with the Punjab government on promotion of tourism in the state.

He said that India received 4.5 million international arrivals this year, registering a growth rate of 13.5 per cent over 2005.

"In fact, India has registered double digit growth rates in four successive years," he said, adding in 2006 there were 842 million international tourists arrival worldwide, a growth rate of 4.9 per cent over 2005 according to the figures.

"In economic terms, the tourism industry is at par with other mega-industries such as petroleum, automobile, telecommunication and information technology," he said.

Besides, it can also create employment for both skilled and unskilled labour, he added.

UNTWO, a Madrid-based organisation, serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and its membership includes 160 countries.
Source : PTI