International tourism in 2005 set a new record, with 808 million international visits, 5.5 percentage more than in 2004, the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization (WTO), a subsidiary of the United Nations, said in a report published on Wednesday.

Tourism continued to grow, extending the 2004 trend, in spite of calamities, including natural disasters and terrorist attacks last year, according to the report.

Although tragedies had triggered local and short-term repercussions, they had not impacted on regional or international tourism, the report said.

"The tourist industry has become a lot more robust in recent years," Francesco Frangialli, the WTO head, said.

"Despite the stormy days we are experiencing these days, international tourist destinations logged an additional 100 million or so international arrivals between 2002 and 2005." he added.

The Organization was expecting a 4 to 5 percent growth in 2006: a percent less than in 2005, but above the long-term trend figure of 4.1 percentage point.

The WTO said it based the prediction on the good economic growth seen in most areas of the world, and forecasted improved growth in the euro-zone -- the 11 countries in the 25-member European Union which use the euro as their common currency.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2006)