The Japan Times - Global tourism recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2024: UN

"A majority of destinations welcomed more international tourists in 2024 than they did before the pandemic, while visitor spending also continued to grow strongly," the Madrid-based body said in a statement.

The number of international tourist arrivals last year was 11 percent higher than the 1.3 billion recorded in 2023, reaching the level seen in 2019, the year before the pandemic paralysed travel.

A "robust performance from large source markets and the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia" drove the results, UN Tourism added.

Receipts from global tourism reached $1.6 trillion in 2024, about 3.0 percent more than the previous year and 4.0 percent more than in 2019 when inflation and currency fluctuations are taken into account.

"In 2024, global tourism completed its recovery from the pandemic and, in many places, tourist arrival and especially earnings are already higher than in 2019," UN Tourism secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili said.

"Growth is expected to continue throughout 2025, driven by strong demand contributing to the socio-economic development of both mature and emerging destinations," he added.

"This recalls our immense responsibility as a sector to accelerate transformation, placing people and planet at the centre of the development of tourism."

The surge in visitor numbers has sparked a backlash in many tourism hotspots, prompting the authorities to take steps to ease the pressure on bursting beaches and gridlocked streets.

Venice, one of the world's top tourist destinations, is trying to limit the influx of tourists into its historic centre by charging day trippers for entry.

Japan has introduced a daily cap on hiker numbers at Mount Fuji while Amsterdam and other port cities have reduced the number of cruise ships allowed to dock.

- Concerns over conflicts -

Europe, the world's most popular destination region, recorded 747 million international arrivals in 2024, a five-percent increase over the previous year and one percent above 2019 levels.

All European regions surpassed pre-pandemic levels except Central and Eastern Europe "where many destinations are still suffering from the lingering effects of the Russian aggression on Ukraine", the statement said.

While international arrivals grew by 33 percent in Asia and the Pacific to reach 316 million in 2024, that represented just 87 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

The Middle East posted the strongest rebound since 2019 with 95 million arrivals last year, a 32-percent jump over pre-pandemic levels but just one percent higher than 2023.

Many countries such as Japan and Morocco have set new tourism records following the pandemic and several destinations reported double-digit growth in international arrivals when compared to 2019.

El Salvador, which has successfully cracked down on violent crime, posted an 81-percent increase in foreign arrivals on 2019 levels.

Saudi Arabia, which only fully opened to tourism in 2019, recorded a 69-percent jump.

The UN body predicts international arrivals will grow three to five percent in 2025 when compared to last year if the rebound in travel in Asia continues, inflation keeps receding and "geopolitical conflicts do not escalate".

High transportation and accommodation costs, volatile oil prices and staff shortages are among the other key challenges the tourism sector will face this year, it added.

S.Ogawa--JT