Middle East leading the way in rapid growth as global tourism nears full recovery

International tourism has bounced back in a big way, with the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism revealing that tourist arrivals worldwide in the first quarter of 2024 reached 97% of pre-pandemic numbers. This translates to over 285 million people making international trips over the three months, a 20% increase from 2023.

Europe and the Middle East have particularly shone in the tourism recovery. Europe, the world’s largest destination region, saw a 7% increase in tourism income in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels, with 120 million international tourists visiting in the first quarter of 2024. The Middle East experienced the fastest growth, with a 36% increase in international arrivals compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The Americas and Africa have also shown strong recovery, with arrivals figures for the first quarter at 99% and 5% of 2019 levels, respectively. Asia-Pacific, while still lagging at 82% of pre-Covid Q1 figures, saw a significant 65% increase in 2023.

Specific destinations that stood out in the report include Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Malta, Norway, and Andorra in Europe, and the Maldives, Mongolia, and Fiji in Asia. These destinations saw impressive growth in Q1 2024 arrivals.

Despite concerns about the cost of living and international conflicts, consumer confidence in travel remains strong, with countries like Germany, the United States, and Italy showing significant increases in outbound travel spending. Overall, the tourism sector is expected to continue growing in 2024, with arrivals likely to be 2% higher than last year.