International tourism's good health confirmed. In the first nine months of 2013, international tourism grew by 5% according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Growth was driven by Europe and Asia and the Pacific. The number of international tourist arrivals reported by destinations around the world increased by some 41 million between January and September compared to the same time last year, growing above UNWTO's initial forecast to reach a record 845 million worldwide. Europe: in this, the world's most visited region, international tourist arrivals grew by 6% through above-average results in Central and Eastern Europe (+7%) and Southern and Mediterranean Europe (+6%). This growth exceeds the initial forecast for 2013 and is double the average growth rate of international tourism in Europe since 2000 (+2.7% a year between 2000 and 2012); Asia-Pacific: with growth of 6%, the region continues to show robust results, bolstered by South-East Asia (+12%); The Americas: the continent reported comparatively weaker results (+3%), with better performance in North America (+4%) and Central America and (+3%); Africa: (+5%) growth was fuelled by the recovery in North Africa (+6%), while the Middle East saw only a marginal increase (+0.3%). (IL/transl.fl)