South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: Tourists walk out of Old Town in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Photographs: Antonio Bronic/Reuters

In 2011, travel and tourism generated $2 trillion globally - 2.8 per cent of the global GDP, which puts the industry ahead of such global forces as automotive manufacturing, according to a report released by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Let's see which regions attracted the most tourists in the world.

Source: CNN Money

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Tags: CNN , World Travel and Tourism Council , GDP , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: Tourists ask a 'tuk tuk' taxi driver for directions along Khao San Road in Bangkok.
Photographs: Sukree Sukplang/Reuters

South East Asia

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 10 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 6 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 5 per cent

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Tags: GDP , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: A French tourist walks past Buddhist religious flags at Namgyal Tsemo Gompa monastery in Leh.
Photographs: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters

South Asia

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 8 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 3 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 6 per cent

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Tags: South Asia , GDP

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: A man dressed as a friar jumps from a 10 metre (33ft) cliff in Lima, Peru.
Photographs: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

South America

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 10 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 6 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 3 per cent

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Tags: GDP , South America Growth , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: A family of Italian tourists walks their dogs in Croatia's northern Adriatic city of Pula, 270km south-west of Zagreb.
Photographs: Nikola Solic/Reuters

Central/Eastern Europe

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 8 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 4 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 2 per cent

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Tags: GDP , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: A man walks in front of a cafe at Plaka tourist district in Athens.
Photographs: John Kolesidis/Reuters

Southern Europe/Mediterranean

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 8 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 4 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 2 per cent

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Tags: GDP , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: Tourists take part in the reindeer safari at Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi, northern Finland.
Photographs: Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Northern Europe

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 8 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 4 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 2 per cent

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Tags: GDP , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: Toursits walk past the Orsay Museum in Paris.
Photographs: Charles Platiau/Reuters

Western Europe

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 5 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 4 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 2 per cent

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Tags: GDP , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: A tourist poses in front of a statue of Bruce Lee on the Avenue of Stars along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in Hong Kong.
Photographs: Woody Wu/Reuters

North East Asia

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 5 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 3 per cent

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Tags: GDP , North East Asia Growth , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: Two police officers walk amongst passing tourists in Times Square during a warm winter day in New York.
Photographs: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

North America

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): 5 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 5 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 6 per cent

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Tags: GDP , North America Growth , South Asia

South Asia among top tourist destinations

Image: Two women walk past a work by artists Bellotti and Rosewell, which is part of 'Sculpture by the Sea', near Bondi Beach, Sydney.
Photographs: Tim Wimborne/Reuters

Oceania

Growth in international tourists (2010-2011): -3 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 3 per cent

Contribution to GDP (2011): 5 per cent

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Tags: GDP , South Asia , Oceania , Growth