Statistics International

International tourism back to pre-crisis level in 2024

• By 2024, the level before the Covid-19 pandemic was practically reached again (99%). The year 2024 marks the consolidation of the recovery of international tourism from the worst crisis ever, four years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many destinations even exceeding 2019 figures.
• 1.4 billion international visitors were registered, an increase of +11% or 140 million compared to 2023.

The 5 UN Tourism regions at a glance

• The Middle East remained the strongest region compared to 2019, up 32% on pre-pandemic levels and 1% on 2023 figures
• Europe recorded +1% more arrivals than in 2019 and 5% more than in 2023
• Africa registered a 7% increase in arrivals compared to 2019 and 12% more than 2023
• North and South America recovered 97% from pre-pandemic arrivals, Asia and the Pacific 87%.
• In terms of subregions, North Africa (+22%) and Central America (+17%) recorded the strongest growth in 2024 compared to 2019.

Export revenues from international tourism

• Total export earnings from tourism (including passenger transportation) are estimated to reach a record USD 1.9 trillion in 2024, around 3% more than before the pandemic and 4% more than in 2019 (in real terms).
• International tourism exports had already returned to pre-pandemic levels by 2023.
  

Outlook for 2025

• According to preliminary estimates, international tourist arrivals will increase by 3 to 5 % in 2025 compared to 2024.
• The positive outlook for the sector is reflected in the latest UN Tourism Confidence Index, which indicates a score of 130 for 2025 (on a scale of 0 to 200, with 100 corresponding to a similar performance).
• Around 64% of UN tourism experts state that the outlook for 2025 is "better" or "much better" compared to 2024.
• Economic and geopolitical challenges continue to pose significant risks to confidence levels.