World tourism.

* World tourism rose by 2.4 percent in 1998 and totaled 625 million tourists. These tourists spent $445 billion in countries throughout the world. The world tourist industry continued growing despite the world financial crisis that hit the outgoing tourist industry hard in Pacific Rim countries and Russia. Incoming tourism was up in all parts of the world, although specific countries suffered downturns. Tourism to the Middle. East in 1998 was up by 3 pe