Global Tourism Bounces Back: 1.4 Billion Arrivals Mark Full Recovery in 2024
International tourism has triumphantly rebounded from the pandemic crisis. 1.4 billion tourist arrivals were recorded globally in 2024, signifying an impressive recovery of 99% of pre-pandemic levels. This data is according to the latest UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer.
Marking an increase of 11% over 2023, this recovery translates to 140 million more international tourist arrivals. Tourism receipts reached a record-breaking USD 1.6 trillion in 2024, which is about 3% more than in 2023 and 4% more than in 2019 in real terms. Total exports from tourism hit a staggering USD 1.9 trillion, about 3% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Several destinations reported outstanding growth. Countries like El Salvador (+81%), Saudi Arabia (+69%), Ethiopia (+40%), Morocco (+35%) all exceeded pre-pandemic levels significantly. The Middle East remained the strongest-performing region with arrivals 32% above 2019 levels, while Europe saw 747 million arrivals, a slight increase of 1% above 2019.
According to UN Tourism, “Growth is expected to continue throughout 2025, driven by strong demand contributing to the socio-economic development of both mature and emerging destinations.” The recovery is supported by increased air connectivity, visa facilitation, and robust performance from major source markets globally.
Source: UN Tourism