Sector's growth continues - Europe still world's number one destination. Demand for international tourism remained strong throughout the first eight months of 2013, according to the latest World Tourism Barometer. Between January and August, the number of international tourists worldwide grew by 5%, driven by strong results in Europe, Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East. Experts point out that the May-August period shows a significant improvement in confidence, while prospects for the last four months of 2013 remain upbeat. In the first eight months of the year, international tourist arrivals grew by 5% to reach a record 747 million worldwide, some 38 million more than in the same period of 2012. After a solid start of the year, demand for international tourism maintained strength throughout the Northern Hemisphere peak season. The World Tourism Office has underlined the progress made in the different regions of the world as follows: Europe (+5%) benefited the most from the growth of tourism in the first eight months of 2013, with an estimated 20 million more arrivals in the region. Given that Europe is the world's largest tourism region with many mature destinations, a 5% growth rate is very positive. Central and Eastern Europe (+7%) and Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+6%) performed particularly well; Asia and the Pacific (+6%) continued to show robust growth bolstered by South-East Asia (+12%) adding some ten million arrivals; The Americas (North and South) (+3%), which gained four million additional arrivals in the first eight months of the year, reported comparatively weaker results; Africa (+5%), where growth was by led by the recovery of North Africa (+6%), received two million extra arrivals, while in the Middle East arrivals rebounded by 7% after two years of decline. Emerging economies continue to lead international tourism expenditure, with all BRIC countries except India, reporting double-digit growth. China posted an extraordinary 31% increase in spending, while the Russian Federation (+28%) and Brazil (+15%) likewise saw a sound increase during the period. Tourism spending was slower in the advanced economy source markets of Canada (+4%), the United Kingdom (+2%), France (+2%), the United States (+1%) and Germany (0%), while Japan, Australia and Italy saw declines in expenditure. (IL/transl.fl)