International tourism spatial distribution: an alternative cartography of World Tourism Organization (Unwto) Data

Abstract

The UNWTO is responsible for collecting and disseminating International Tourism data about 200 states among its associate members and affiliates. Traditionally this information is disclosed in the Compendium of Tourism Statistics, whose access is restricted or paid. The WTO reports also present the data aggregated in accord to the regional division of the world established by the UNWTO itself. This work aims to present an alternative cartography and to discuss the spatial distribution of international tourism. This was done from the UNWTO database, available by the World Bank. The interval between 2006 and 2016 was chosen for analysis. The indicators presented are: the average of international arrivals from 2006 to 2016; the variation in the number of international arrivals between 2006 and 2016; the ratio between international arrivals and each country's population in 2016; the ratio between international tourism revenue and international arrivals between over 2006 and 2016; the variation in international tourism revenues between 2006 and 2016; the variation in international tourism spending between 2006 and 2016. The discussion of these indicators is important for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of international tourism, which goes far beyond the traditional debate around the often-released top ten rankings.