The tourism rebound was strongest in South Asia, up 17 percent compared with the same period last year and South-East Asia, up 16 percent, PATA said.
“All the destinations in the (South Asia) sub-region rebounded strongly from the relatively poor first quarter of 2009, which, in the cases of India and Sri Lanka, were severely impacted by the lingering effects of the Mumbai attacks and the civil war, respectively,” a statement released in Bangkok said.
Tourist arrivals jumped 30 percent in Nepal, 21 percent in the Maldives and 57 percent in Bhutan during the first three months of this year.
Arrivals were up across the board in South-East Asia which saw incoming tourists increase 10 percent in Cambodia, 15 percent in Indonesia, 39 percent in Myanmar, 20 percent in Singapore, 28 percent in Thailand and 36 percent in Vietnam.
“Thailand recorded a 28 percent gain in arrivals January to March, however, it is expected that this early recovery will be severely impacted by the tensions and unrest in April and May, especially in Bangkok and it’s immediate surrounds,” PATA said.
Bangkok witnessed two months of anti-government protests from March to May that resulted in bloody street clashes, with 89 people dead and parts of the capital in flames.
In North-East Asia, China reported a 4 percent increase in international arrivals, Hong Kong a 17 percent increase, Macao 12 percent, Taiwan 28 percent and Japan’s arrivals surged 29 percent.
South Korea, on the other hand, recorded a 1 percent decline, reversing the positive trends seen in 2009.
International arrivals to the Pacific region grew by 6 percent, with a 6 percent increase in visitor numbers to the higher volume destinations of Australia and New Zealand, and 28 percent jump in smaller Pacific island destinations.
