Record-Breaking Global Tourism: 1.4B Visitors Mark Full Industry Recovery
International tourism celebrated a significant achievement in 2024, registering 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals worldwide. This milestone signifies the industry’s full recovery from the pandemic. According to the UN Tourism organization, tourism receipts escalated to USD 1.6 trillion in 2024, marking an increase of approximately 3% from 2023 and 4% from 2019.
Europe took the lead with 747 million arrivals. However, the Middle East outshone other regions by recording arrivals 32% above pre-pandemic levels.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili underscored the sector’s obligation to “accelerate transformation, placing people and planet at the center of tourism development”. The recovery underscores the economic significance of tourism, with the sector making a substantial contribution to job creation and GDP growth globally.