Undiscovered: 10 places more tourists should go
There are more than one billion tourists in the world — yet some destinations don’t get quite as many visitors as you’d think, says Jolyon Attwooll
THE beaches may be beautiful and the coastline inviting, but you can understand why Tuvalu doesn’t get much through-traffic. It’s tiny for a start; one of the smallest nations in the world, and not much bigger than Vatican City. It’s also about as far from the beaten track as possible — right out in the middle of the South Pacific.
So the 1 200 international arrivals recorded there in 2011 — according to the World Bank — had to make quite an effort. It had the lowest number of recorded visitors for all countries where data was available (and no, there were no figures for North Korea). If you are curious about Tuvalu, its timelesstuvalu.com site is surprisingly enticing.
Low tourism to other nations is harder to explain. Here we name some places where visitor numbers are oddly low.
INDIA
The world’s largest democracy ought to be a big hitter when it comes to tourism. Right in the centre of Asia, it has some amazing attractions, from the Taj Mahal to tigers. But with fewer than seven million foreign arrivals last year, it is hardly setting the world alight with its visitor numbers. To put that into context, that’s less than a third of Thailand’s 22.4 million during the same year.
Why are numbers low?
The difficult visa process is one problem — one that tourist authorities are apparently trying to address, with a drive to reduce bureaucracy. The recent spate of bad publicity about attitudes towards women — including some shocking attacks on tourists — has also done little to boost the country’s image.
THE PHILIPPINES
A glorious archipelago with miles and miles of pristine beaches, the Philippines certainly looks enticing. On an unscientific level, news that the Philippines featured in the Telegraph’s 20 places to visit in 2014 was greeted enthusiastically on social networks. Yet the number of visitors was only a little more than four million in 2012.
It’s a shortfall that’s recognised within the country’s own borders, with tourism officials aiming for more than 10 million visitors in 2016.
Why are numbers low?
Political instability bedevilled the country for many years and natural disasters certainly have not helped, Typhoon Haiyan being a recent, tragic example. Despite those images of devastation, most of the country remains open for business.
BHUTAN
This landlocked country in South Asia is beautiful and mountainous. With a strongly Buddhist culture, wonderful treks, remote forests and Himalayan kingdoms, there is a wealth of attractions — yet only about 44 000 visitors to appreciate them in 2012.
Why are numbers low?
This is the country’s own choice. Bhutan has long limited tourists: visitors have to pay a tariff of $250 a day to enter, a fee that excludes many of the backpackers who head to Thailand.
BRAZIL
It may be the most visited country in South America, but that continent as a whole remains relatively unexplored. For a country famous for its beaches, natural assets and football culture, Brazil is still arguably punching below its weight. It’s comfortably the biggest economy in the region, and its attractions vary from the beaches of Salvador and Rio’s Carnival to the remote flora and fauna of the Amazon.
Why are numbers low?
You might argue that 5.7 million visitors isn’t that bad, considering the country is hardly positioned at the world’s crossroads. But then Australia gets more than six million, and it is further away from both Europe and the US. The big question is whether this year’s World Cup will change the tourism industry in Brazil. Bolivia and Peru are two other countries where the visitor numbers don’t seem to match the attractions on offer.