It took four years, but global tourism is finally set for full recovery in 2024, according to the United Nations, which says around 1.1 billion tourists travelled internationally in the first nine months of 2024, representing 98% of pre-pandemic levels. And according to the latest World Tourism Barometer by UN Tourism, a full recovery from the biggest crisis in the sector’s history is expected by the end of the year.

Hailing the sector’s “remarkable recovery” from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought global tourism to a standstill, the Barometer show most regions already exceeding 2019 arrival numbers in the period January to September 2024. The report also shows outstanding results in terms of international tourism receipts, with most destinations – including Canada –posting double-digit growth compared to 2019, both inbound and outbound.

“The strong growth seen in tourism receipts is excellent news for economies around the world,” said UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “The fact that visitor spending is growing even stronger than arrivals has a direct impact on millions of jobs and small businesses and contributes decisively to the balance of payments and tax revenues of many economies.”

Tourism performance by region

International tourist arrivals grew strongly in the first nine months of 2024, driven by strong post-pandemic demand in Europe and robust performance from large source markets globally, as well as the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific. Increased air connectivity, and visa facilitation also supported international travel.

• The Americas recovered 97% of its pre-pandemic arrivals (-3% over 2019).
• The Middle East (+29% compared to 2019) continued to enjoy record growth this nine-month period, while Europe (+1%) and Africa (+6%) also exceeded 2019 levels.
• Asia and the Pacific reached 85% of 2019 levels as compared to a 66% recovery in 2023.

The summer season in the Northern Hemisphere was generally strong, with arrivals worldwide reaching 99% of pre-pandemic values in Q3 2024.

A total of 60 out of 111 destinations surpassed 2019 arrival numbers in the first eight to nine months of 2024. Some of the strongest performers in arrivals during this period were Qatar (+141% versus 2019) where arrivals more than doubled, Albania (+77%), Saudi Arabia (+61%), Curaçao (+48%), Tanzania (+43%), Colombia and Andorra (both +36%).

Meanwhile, a total of 35 out of 43 countries with available data on receipts exceeded pre-pandemic values in the first eight to nine months of 2024, many reporting double-digit growth compared to 2019 (in local currencies), well above inflation in most cases. That included Canada, which posted 35% growth.

Strong expenditure growth was also reported by the United Kingdom (+46%) Australia (+34%), Canada (+28%) and Italy (+26%), all through June 2024.

Challenges

Despite the generally strong results, UN Tourism says several economic, geopolitical and climate challenges remain. The tourism sector is still facing inflation in travel and tourism, namely high transport and accommodation prices, as well as volatile oil prices. Major conflicts and tensions around the world continue to impact consumer confidence, while extreme weather events and staff shortages are also critical challenges for tourism performance.

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