Tourism is one of the most remarkable success stories of modern times.
The industry, which began on a massive scale only in the 1960s, has grown
rapidly and steadily for the past 30 years in terms of the income it generates
and the number of people who travel abroad. It has proved to be
resilient in times of economic crisis and shows no signs of slowing down,
despite the uncertainty, caused by the events such as September 11, other
terrorist threats, and even unexpected new illnesses like SARS in the
beginning of the new century.