The latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer data shows international leisure travel reached 88 per cent of 2019 numbers with an estimated 1.3 billion arrivals worldwide. UNWTO expects a tourism rebound to pre-pandemic numbers in 2024 bolstered by pent-up travel demand and reopened source markets.
The Middle East, Europe and Africa led the tourism revival in 2023 with the Middle East the only region to exceed pre-pandemic arrivals by 22 per cent.
Four sub-regions also exceeded 2019 arrival levels: Southern Mediterranean Europe, Caribbean, Central America and North Africa.
Overall, Europe recovered 94 per cent of 2019 levels while Africa and the Americas reached 96 per cent and 90 per cent respectively.
The Asia-Pacific region hit 65 per cent of 2019 arrivals in 2023 with South Asia leading with 87 per cent and North Asia lagging with around 55 per cent.
The latest UNWTO Tourism Confidence Index survey reflects the positive outlook with 67 per cent of tourism professionals indicating better or much better prospects for 2024 compared to 2023.
The cost of global tourism
The economic impact of tourism recovery is staggering – international leisure travel hit USD$1.4 trillion last year, against 2019’s $1.5 trillion.
That equates to 1.29 million overnight visitors around the world in 2023, up by 325 million international tourists (34%) on 2022.
According to the UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker, both international air capacity and passenger demand recovered about 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels through October 2023 (IATA).
Global accommodation occupancy rates reached 65 per cent in November, slightly above 62 per cent in November 2022 (based on STR data).
Positive outlook for 2024
Looking ahead, UNWTO expects international tourism to fully recover in 2024 with initial estimates at two per cent growth above 2019 levels, subject to the recovery of Asia source markets and geopolitical risks.
China’s outbound and inbound tourism is expected to ramp up in 2024 due to improved visas and air capacity.
However, persisting inflation, high interest rates, volatile oil prices and disruptions to trade may continue to impact the cost of travel this year.
UNWTO predicts trips that offer value for money, close-to-home destinations and sustainability will shape consumer travel choices in 2024.
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