Travel Bookings in Asia hit a record in 2005 with more than 54.3 million reservations made, an increase of 6 per cent over the previous year, a major industry operator said yesterday.

For 2006, regional bookings are projected to grow by 4 per cent to 6 per cent but the state of the global economy looms as the industry’s main concern, Abacus International said.

“I think the biggest threat is actually economic, that we see a slowdown…and all the consequences of that,” said Don Birch, who is president and chief executive of Abacus, the region’s leading ticket reservation company.

With the winter season ending soon, the threat of a bid-flu outbreak has also eased, Birch said.

Looking back on 2005, the industry has once again demonstrated its resilience with the 6 per-cent rise in bookings despite spiraling oil prices and the afternoon of the December 2004 tsunami, Abacus said.

“The real story is that the travel industry has grown remarkably in the face of all these things,” Birch said.

“Although some regions saw tourism numbers dropping in the aftermath of the tsunami, most travelers opted to visit a different area of Asia Pacific in the meantime while the clean-up and rebuilding were occurring.”

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Surge in Asia travel booking, tourism

Technorati Tags: Surge in Asia travel booking, tourism