GENEVA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Global passenger traffic results for 2017 showed that demand for the year ended Dec. 31 rose 7.6 percent compared to the year before, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced Thursday.
All regions of the world recorded increases in demand, led by the Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions, said Geneva-based IATA giving its global passenger results.
The world figure was well above the 10-year average annual growth rate of 5.5 percent.
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO, said, "2017 got off to a very strong start and largely stayed that way throughout the year, sustained by a broad-based pick-up in economic conditions."
He said that the underlying economic outlook remains supportive in 2018, but rising cost inputs, most notably fuel, suggest it is unlikely to that there will be the same degree of demand stimulation from lower fares that occurred in the first part of 2017.
Asia-Pacific carriers posted annual demand growth of 9.4 percent, compared to 2016, driven by robust regional economic expansion and an increase in route options for travelers.
This was the first time since 1994 that Asia-Pacific led all the regions in annual growth rate, said IATA.
Domestic air travel climbed 7.0 percent last year with all markets showing annual growth led by India, China, and Russia, albeit with wide variations.
Japan posted its fastest full year of growth (up 5.8 percent) since 2013, driven in part by the country's stronger economic backdrop, said IATA.
Brazil's domestic traffic returned to growth last year with a 3.5 percent demand increase, after recording an annual decline of 5.5 percent in 2016.
"Last year, more than 4 billion passengers used aviation to reunite with friends and loved ones, to explore new worlds, to do business, and to take advantage of opportunities to improve themselves," said de Juniac.
