Telling an Old Story with New Maps - Geographic Visualization: Concepts, Tools and Applications - page 98

5.2.25 Tourist expenditure
Having a lot of money facilitates travel, which could act as a vehicle for the redistribution of
money. However, most money spent on international tourism is spent in Western Europe,
Japan, and North America. There are two reasons for this - firstly we spend more where
prices are higher, which is the case in richer territories. Secondly, whilst 'third world tourism'
is popular amongst certain age and interest groups, most international tourist trips are made
Figure 5.28 Territory size shows the proportion of world international tourist spending by residents
of each territory (Worldmapper Map 24)
Text Box 5.26: Tourist Expenditure
Territory size shows the spending of residents (in US$) when they make tourist visits
abroad. The four biggest tourist spenders are the United States, Germany, the UK and
Japan.
The average tourist spending in 2003 was US$92 per person in the world. However,
this is unevenly distributed. At a territorial level per capita spending ranges from
US$6005 to 4 US cents. The highest per capita tourist spenders are the Luxembourgeois,
Kuwaitis and Austrians. Afghanistanis, the Burmese/Myanmars and Ethiopians spend
the least per capita as tourists.
Carrying cash from one developed country to another is simply not necessary
anymore. Using Visa payment cards is easier and safer.
(Kamran Siddiqi, 2005)