According to the United Nations world tourism barometer data, international arrivals (overnight visitors) reached 97 per cent of 2019 levels in the first quarter of 2024, reflecting an almost complete recovery of pre-pandemic figures, the tourism industry news radio Turizm FM reported.
Estimating that 285 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months of 2024, up nearly 20 percent compared to the same period in 2023, the UN Tourism Barometer report highlighted that these results were supported by continued strong demand and the opening of Asian markets, as well as improved air connectivity and visa facilitation, while the Middle East witnessed the strongest relative growth in the first quarter of 2024, with international arrivals exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 36 percent. Europe exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time in the last quarter (up 1 per cent from Q1 2019).
Africa received 5 per cent more arrivals in Q1 2024 than in Q1 2019, while the Americas almost reached pre-pandemic levels at 99 per cent. Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific reached 82 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2024, following a 65 per cent recovery in 2023. By sub-region, North Africa performed the strongest with 23 per cent more international arrivals in Q1 2024 than pre-pandemic, followed by Central America (+15 per cent), the Caribbean and Western Europe (both +7 per cent).
However, total export earnings from international tourism including both arrivals and passenger transport, reached USD 1.7 trillion in 2023, about 96 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in real terms (i.e. excluding inflation).
