2024 international tourism was +11% from 2023, reaching 99% of 2019

But regional results were mixed:

• Middle East 2024 visitation was +32% vs. 2019, +1% vs. 2023
• Africa: +7% vs. 2019, +12% vs. 2023
• Europe: +1% vs. 2019, +5% vs. 2023 (World's largest destination region with 747M international arrivals in 2024)
• Americas: -3% vs. 2019, +7% vs. 2023 (But Caribbean and Central America had positive growth vs. 2019.)
• Asia-Pacific: -13% vs. 2019, +33% vs. 2023

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said:

"In many places, tourist arrivals and specially earnings are already higher than in 2019. Growth is expected to continue throughout 2025, driven by strong demand contributing to the socio-economic development of both mature and emerging destinations."

International tourism spend saw strong growth in 2024 after nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels in 2023 in real terms (adjusting for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations): $1.6 trillion, about 3% more than in 2023 and 4% more than in 2019.

International tourist arrivals are expected to grow 3% to 5% in 2025 vs. 2024, assuming a continued recovery of Asia-Pacific and solid growth in most other regions.

But ongoing conflicts, inflation, volatile oil prices, extreme weather events and staff shortages are among the issues that concern tourism experts about 2025.