According to the latest issue of the World Tourism Barometer conducted by UN Tourism, around 790 million tourists travelled abroad in the first seven months of 2024. This represents an increase of 11% compared to 2023, and a decrease of 4% compared to 2019.
The start of the year was very dynamic, the second quarter “more modest” according to the agency. These performances are “in line” with the forecasts of UN Tourism, for which the full recovery of international arrivals will be for 2024 “despite the current economic and geopolitical risks”.
All regions of the world are growing. The Middle East remains the region with the strongest relative growth, with international arrivals up 26% from 2019 levels in the first seven months of 2024. Africa received 7% more tourists than in the same period in 2019. Europe and the Americas are back to 99% and 97%, respectively, of their pre-pandemic arrival levels. Finally, Asia-Pacific is seeing tourist numbers at 82% of pre-pandemic levels.
Nearly 70 destinations have resumed full activity
Out of 120 destinations worldwide, a total of 67 have returned to their 2019 arrival levels in the first half of 2024.
In terms of international tourism receipts, 47 of the 63 countries for which data are available have returned to pre-pandemic figures in the first six months of 2024, with many posting strong double-digit growth compared to 2019 (in local currency and at current prices).
According to the confidence index established by UN Tourism, expectations are also positive for the last part of the year. Even if the experts consulted by the agency have identified several major challenges for the sector: containing price inflation, particularly those of transport and accommodation; responding to staff shortages or protecting against extreme weather events.
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