According to the World Bank, tourism is the largest and the fastest developing industry in the world today.

The World Tourism Organization has come to a conclusion that 2006 became record for world tourism. The amount of tourists having visited other countries has become 4.5% higher and reached 842 million people as compared to 2005.

According to the information given by Washington Profile, the largest tourist inflow has been marked in Southern Asia and become 10% higher as compared to 2005. India is the most attractive country for foreign travellers. A remarkable growth - 8.1% has been noted in Africa. Most foreign tourists have visited SAR, Kenya and Morocco. In countries of Asian-Pacific area the number of tourists has become 7.6% higher, and in Europe - 4% higher. Germany which was the site of World Cup has become a leader here. Tourism industry in the Near East has obtained the same result. The amount of tourists having visited Southern and Northern American countries became just 2% higher in 2006. Such low rates are connected with reducing of tourists visiting Canada and Mexico.

According to the information provided by the World Tourism And Travel Council, 8.3% of world's working places, 9.3% of international investments, 12% of exports and 3.6% of world internal gross product account for a share of tourism and its branches.

Tourists spend 10.2% of all means expended by world consumers. An average tourist having visited Europe has made an income at amount of $790 (for Eastern Europe and European Republics of the Former USSR this rate is $370). For the USA and Canada the income from a tourist is $1190, for Asia - $890, for Africa - 4590, for The Near East - $710.

Almost 80% of foreign tourists come from European and Southern American countries. Eastern Asia, Australia and New Zealand supply approximately 15% of tourists.

Iuri Tarabanov writes about interesting travel experiences. His Travel Deals site is http://www.travelime.com