The United Nations World Tourism Organization announced on Friday that global tourism is expected to fully recover in 2024 from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, estimating a 2% increase in international tourist numbers compared to 2019. It added that an increase in flight availability and the recovery of Asian markets will facilitate a complete return of tourism activities worldwide this year, although geopolitical instability in the Middle East and other areas poses a risk to the tourism sector as it may affect individuals' willingness to travel.
In 2023, demand for travel in Europe and Africa nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, with the Middle East surpassing them. Some tourist destinations, like Southern European countries along the Mediterranean, the Caribbean region, Central America, and North Africa, achieved success in attracting more international tourists last year compared to 2019.
The organization expects the Chinese market to recover in 2024, following the government's decision to allow citizens from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia to travel visa-free until November 30, 2024.
In 2023, international tourism reached 88% of pre-pandemic levels, with estimates suggesting that around 1.3 billion international travelers were recorded. According to the report, the contribution of the tourism sector to the global economy in 2023 was approximately $3.3 trillion.
