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While air passenger travel markets in Asia showed the strongest growth during December, African markets are also growing, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

IATA said on Thursday that bad weather in Europe and North America hit passenger traffic in December and the comparison with December 2009 was also depressed by the surge in traffic at that time.

The year-on-year growth rate of passengers in international markets slowed from 7.6% to 2.8%. There was a marked difference between seat class segments. Premium travel held up much better in December, slowing from 9.6% to 7.1%. By contrast economy travel slowed more sharply from 7% to 2.4%.

Fourth-quarter premium travel grew at an annualised rate of 8.3% and economy travel grew by 5.4%, while total passenger travel in the fourth quarter rose at an annualised rate of 5.7% - close to the trend of the past two decades.

The year as a whole in 2010 saw premium travel markets expand by 9.1%, while economy travel was up 5.9%. The number of airline passengers in total travelling on international markets in 2010 grew by 6.2%.

The weather-related dip in December meant that, by the end of the year, international passenger markets were still 2% below the pre-recession peak of early 2008. They had just recovered these levels in November. Premium travel fell further in the recession - it has recovered the fastest and still has momentum, but is still 11% smaller than before the recession.

IATA noted that business travel still appeared to be the main driver of growth in air travel, and business confidence surveys - which rose further in January this year - point to further momentum ahead in this key air travel segment.

IATA added that of note was the expansion developing in a number of African travel markets in 2010. Increasing trade and investment links with Asia helped to boost the Africa to Far East market, with growth of 17% in premium travel during the year and 21% growth in economy travel.

Links with Europe are traditionally much stronger but, reflecting changing trade structures and the cyclical weakness of Europe, premium travel from Europe to Africa rose by less than 2% and economy travel by less than 5%.

Given the continued divergence of economic performance expected during 2011, IATA expects to see continued divergence in air travel markets. - I-Net Bridge