Los Angeles: Moviegoers around the world pushed global box office revenues to a record $26.7bn in 2007, but rising ticket prices and a weakening dollar accounted for much of the increase, the Motion Picture Association of America said.

The group's annual report said box office revenue outside North America climbed 4.9 per cent to $17.1 bn, representing nearly two-thirds of all ticket sales.

Revenues in the United States and Canada increased 5.4 per cent to a record $9.6bn, with admissions unchanged at 1.4 billion tickets sold, and ticket prices 5 per cent higher at an average $6.88.

Dan Glickman, chief executive of the association, said the report was good news but acknowledged major studios got a big bump from a weak dollar.

"There's no question that a significant portion of that increase is due to the currency situation," he told reporters during a conference call.

The organization did not break out the effect of the currency. But the US dollar fell 6.1 per cent against the Canadian dollar and 5.9 per cent against the euro from the first week of July 2006 to the first week of July 2007. That boosts US dollar revenues even if ticket prices abroad remain the same.

Total global ticket sales reached $25.5bn in 2006.

The association, which includes the six major Hollywood studios and their affiliates, also pointed out the increasing impact of high-tech goods on theater attendance.
Source : PTI