United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) says, Approximately 790 Million Tourists Travelled Internationally Between January and July This Year

As the world gradually emerges from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism industry has seen a remarkable recovery, signaling that the worst is now behind us. According to the latest World Tourism Barometer published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), approximately 790 million tourists traveled internationally between January and July 2024. This represents an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and is just 4% below the numbers recorded in 2019, before the pandemic struck.

The data indicates that global tourism has reached 96% of pre-pandemic levels, underscoring a strong and sustained recovery in a sector that was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

This rebound has been driven by several key factors, including increased demand for international travel, the reopening of critical markets in Asia and the Pacific, and the easing of visa restrictions. The resurgence of tourism in regions like Europe, which continues to be the world's largest tourism market, along with the booming recovery in the Middle East, has further propelled global travel demand.

The tourism recovery has not been uniform across all regions, with some areas performing better than others. In terms of relative growth, the Middle East emerged as the strongest performer, with international arrivals increasing by 26% above 2019 levels in the first seven months of 2024. This extraordinary growth is attributed to increased air connectivity, major global events, and the easing of travel restrictions that made the region more accessible.

Europe remains a key driver of global tourism, recovering 99% of its pre-pandemic international arrivals in the first seven months of 2024. As the most visited region in the world, Europe benefited from the strong demand for leisure travel, cultural tourism, and business events. The reopening of major destinations, particularly in Southern and Western Europe, has bolstered the recovery, with tourists flocking to popular spots like France, Spain, Italy, and Greece.

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Asia and the Pacific, while still lagging behind other regions, has shown significant improvement, recovering 82% of its pre-pandemic tourism levels by July 2024. This region, which includes major tourism markets like China, Japan, and Australia, has benefited from the reopening of borders and the gradual return of international flights. By the middle of the year, tourism levels in Asia reached 85% of 2019 figures in June and 86% in July, signaling that the region is on a strong upward trajectory.

In 2024, 67 out of 120 global destinations tracked by the UNWTO reported a full recovery in international arrivals, matching or surpassing their 2019 levels. Some of the standout destinations in terms of tourism growth included:

These countries, among others, have demonstrated the increasing desire for cultural exploration, adventure tourism, and sustainable travel, which have become key drivers of tourism growth.