According to a new World Tourism Organization (WTO) report, the tourism industry is resuming normal operations. According to the UN, worldwide travel levels will be marginally higher in 2024 than they were before the pandemic, owing mostly to a comeback in Asia.
Pent-up demand, better air connectivity, and a stronger rebound in Asian markets and destinations are predicted to help the sector recover completely by the end of 2024. Initial projections imply that the recovery will be 2% higher than in 2019.
“The latest UNWTO data underscores tourism’s resilience and rapid recovery, with pre-pandemic numbers expected by the end of 2024. The rebound is already having a significant impact on economies, jobs, growth, and opportunities for communities everywhere,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
Asia and the Pacific returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, thanks to the reopening of several popular sites. South Asia contributed significantly to the result, recovering 87 percent of 2019 levels, while North-East Asia lingered around 55 percent.
The Madrid-based agency stated that there is still “significant room for recovery across Asia” and that “the reopening of several source markets and destinations will boost recovery in the region and globally”.
The organization also predicted that China’s outward and inbound tourism will increase in 2024 due to enhanced visa facilitation and flight capacity. Last November, China granted visa-free travel to citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia for a trial period ending on November 30, 2024.
How did international tourism do in 2023?
According to the UNWTO, 1.3 million tourists traveled to foreign places in 2023, representing 88% of pre-pandemic levels and 44% more than in 2022.
According to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the Middle East led the rebound in relative terms, as the only region to surpass pre-pandemic levels, with arrivals 22% higher than in 2019.
Europe, the world’s most visited area, achieved 94% of 2019 levels, owing mostly to increased intra-regional demand and US tourists.
Preliminary estimates indicate that the economic impact of the tourism industry’s recovery resulted in revenues of $1.4 trillion in 2023, accounting for almost 93% of the $1.5 trillion earned by destinations in 2019.