Tourism

An extensive study to develop a long-term strategy for tourism is underway in Oman after the minister responsible for the sector acknowledged that although solid progress had been made in recent years, the industry has not yet reached its full potential.

Next year, 2014, marks the beginning of a cycle of anniversaries set to last until the end of 2018, as countries across Europe, North America and beyond commemorate the centenary of the First World War. Turkey is looking to combine the expected spike in interest in historic events with a concerted drive to boost tourism revenue.

The tourism industry in Myanmar stands to be one of the key winners from the country’s bid to open up economically and politically, following a remarkable two-year period in which international sanctions against the Southeast Asian state were eased.

The strong lure to foreign visitors has endured through the global financial crisis, leveraging on India’s diverse offering of history, cultures and landscapes. Foreign tourist arrival (FTA) growth in 2011 was twice the global average at 8.9%, according to the Ministry of Tourism (MoT), and further growth is expected to maintain a level of at least 7.5% per year in the decade ahead. Yet the backbone of revenue generation remains homegrown, which is a boon for both domestic and international markets alike.

A focus to attract more tourists from growing regional markets will spearhead Malaysia’s efforts to boost visitor numbers in 2013. However, efforts to increase arrivals from certain key segments may not be enough to drive visitor figures up across the board.

Given the country’s comparatively low visitor figures, and its drive to diversify away from primary sector activity, Nigeria has long stated its desire to develop its tourism industry, although it will need to tackle challenges in human resources and training if it is to keep pace with the competition.