International tourist arrivals increased by 5 pc in the first quarter of 2025
International tourism continued its robust recovery in the first quarter of 2025, with more than 300 million tourists travelling abroad, a 5 pc increase over the same period last year and 3 pc above pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer.
In a press statement, UN Tourism says that this surge comes despite persistent geopolitical tensions, trade disputes and rising travel costs, underscoring the sector’s resilience.
The report adds that Europe remained the world’s most visited region, welcoming 125 million international tourists in the first three months of 2025, a 2 pc rise from 2024 and 5 pc above 2019 figures.
According to the report, Southern Mediterranean Europe benefitted from a 2 pc uptick, reflecting growing off-season demand, while Central and Eastern Europe rebounded by 8 pc, led by the Baltics, though overall numbers there still trail pre-pandemic levels.
Zurab Pololikashvili
“In every global region, tourism stands out as a major services sector, supporting millions of jobs and businesses of all sizes. The continued good performance in international arrivals combined with stronger visitor spending in many destinations highlights the resilience of the sector in the face of numerous challenges and is good news for economies and workers everywhere,” says Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UN Tourism.
The report adds that Africa saw the strongest regional growth, with arrivals up 9 pc, 16 pc higher than before the pandemic. The Americas posted a 2 pc increase overall, but South America stood out with a 13 pc jump, fuelled by the Southern Hemisphere summer.
Additionally, Asia and the Pacific rebounded sharply, with arrivals up 12 pc and North-East Asia soaring by 23 pc to reach 91 pc of 2019 levels. The Middle East’s growth moderated to 1 pc, yet arrivals remained 44 pc above pre-pandemic numbers.
According to the report, Spain reported a 9 pc rise in visitor spending, while Japan saw a remarkable 34 pc surge. The United States, the world’s top tourism earner, recorded 3 pc growth after a strong 2024.
UN Tourism projects international arrivals to grow by 3 pc to 5 pc for the full year, with demand expected to remain resilient as travellers continue to seek value and adapt to evolving global conditions.
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