UN Tourism says all world regions have recorded a strong year so far
Global tourism industry is now within the touching distance of its pre-pandemic peaks as according to the latest World Tourism Barometer by UN Tourism, around 790 million tourists travelled internationally in the first seven months of 2024.
Zurab Pololikashvili
In a press statement, the tourism organisation of the UN says that the number this year is about 11 pc more than in 2023 and only 4 pc lower than in 2019. It adds that its data shows a strong start to the year, followed by a more modest second quarter. UN Tourism says that the results are in line with its projection of a full recovery in international arrivals in 2024 despite ongoing economic and geopolitical risks.
“International tourism is on track to consolidate its full recovery from the biggest crisis in the sector’s history. The ongoing rebound comes despite a range of economic and geopolitical challenges, highlighting the strong demand for international travel as well as the effectiveness of boosting air connections and easing visa restrictions. This recovery also highlights the growing need for tourism planning and managing to cater for its impacts on communities in a way that the immense socio-economic benefits are paired with inclusive and sustainable policies,” says Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UN Tourism.
Middle East continues to lead the recovery
The organisation says that the ongoing rebound comes despite a range of economic and geopolitical challenges, highlighting the strong demand for international travel as well as the effectiveness of boosting air connections and easing visa restrictions.
With increased air connectivity and visa facilitation supporting the recovery in international travel, the data shows all world regions have recorded a strong year so far.
The Middle East remained the strongest-growing region in relative terms, with international arrivals climbing 26 pc above 2019 levels in the first seven months of 2024. Africa welcomed 7 pc more tourists than in the same months of 2019.
UN Tourism says that Europe and the Americas recovered 99 pc and 97 pc of their pre-pandemic arrivals respectively during these seven months. Lagging behind was Asia and the Pacific that recorded 82 pc of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers, though it is accelerating, reaching 85 pc in June and 86 pc in July.
It adds that a total of 67 out of 120 destinations around the world had recovered 2019 arrival numbers in the first half of 2024, based on countries reporting monthly or quarterly data. Some of the strongest performers in January-July 2024 were Qatar, which is up 147 pc versus 2019, Albania, up 93 pc, El Salvador, up 81 pc, Saudi Arabia which rose 73 pc, Moldova with jump of 50 pc until June and Tanzania that grew 49 pc through June.
Receipts and expenditure data shows even stronger results
UN Tourism says that in terms of international tourism receipts, 47 out of 63 countries with available data had recovered pre-pandemic values in the first six months of 2024, many reporting strong double-digit growth compared to 2019, in local currencies and current prices. Among the best performers through June or July 2024 were Albania, which rose 128 pc and Serbia, at 126 pc where receipts more than doubled (compared to the same period of 2019), followed by Tajikistan, Pakistan, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Portugal.
The statement adds that data on international tourism expenditure reveals strong demand for outbound travel in January-July 2024, especially from large source markets such as the United States, which rose 32 pc, Germany at 38 pc and the United Kingdom up by 40 pc. Strong outbound spending was also reported by Australia, Canada and Italy. It adds that limited data for India shows an impressive surge in outbound spending, with 86 pc growth in Q1 2024 versus Q1 2019.
It adds that the revised data for 2023 shows export revenues from international tourism reaching USD 1.8 trillion, including receipts and passenger transport, virtually the same as before the pandemic. Tourism direct GDP also recovered pre-pandemic levels in 2023, reaching an estimated USD 3.4 trillion, equivalent to 3 pc of global GDP.
According to the statement, the UN Tourism Confidence Index shows positive expectations for the last part of the year, at 120 points for September-December 2024, though below the prospects for May-August, which stood at 130, on a scale of 0 to 200, where 100 reflects equal expected performance. Some 47 pc of the tourism experts participating in the Confidence survey expect better performance for the sector in the last four months of 2024, while 41 pc project similar performance and 11 pc worse. This reflects a gradual normalisation of tourism performance after a strong 2023.
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