“Global Tourism Recovers to 96% of Pre-Pandemic Levels in Early 2024”
Tanveer Ahmed:
Islamabad: International tourism has made a robust recovery, reaching 96% of its pre-pandemic levels in the first seven months of 2024. An estimated 790 million tourists traveled internationally between January and July, marking an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2023, though still 4% below the numbers seen in 2019 before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The surge in travel was driven by strong demand across most regions, the ongoing recovery of destinations in the Asia-Pacific, expanded air connectivity, and more streamlined visa facilitation processes.
Regional Growth and Recovery Trends
The Middle East emerged as the strongest performer, with international arrivals 26% above 2019 figures, marking the highest growth of any region. Africa also exceeded pre-pandemic levels, welcoming 7% more tourists than in the same period of 2019.
Meanwhile, both Europe and the Americas made significant strides in recovery, reaching 96% and 97% of their pre-pandemic international arrival numbers, respectively. However, Asia and the Pacific continue to lag slightly behind, recovering to 82% of their 2019 levels.
In terms of subregional performance, North Africa recorded the strongest growth, with international arrivals up by 21% compared to pre-pandemic figures. Central America followed closely with a 19% increase, while both the Caribbean and Southern and Mediterranean Europe saw gains of 9%.
Tourism Revenues and Economic Impact
Revised data for 2023 shows international tourism revenues (including receipts and passenger transport) reached USD 1.8 trillion, nearly matching the 2019 figure, down by just 1% in real terms. In addition, tourism’s direct contribution to global GDP in 2023 was estimated at USD 3.4 trillion, which is equivalent to 3% of global GDP, signaling that the industry has largely regained its economic footing.
Outlook and Challenges
Looking ahead, the UN Tourism Confidence Index indicates positive expectations for the remainder of 2024. The confidence level for September-December stands at 120 points, slightly lower than the May-August period, which had a score of 130 (on a scale from 0 to 200, where 100 indicates equal expected performance).
However, the tourism sector continues to face challenges, particularly inflation in travel and tourism-related expenses. High transport and accommodation costs are being highlighted as major concerns, according to the UN Panel of Tourism Experts.
Despite these hurdles, the ongoing recovery of international tourism highlights the resilience of the sector, with growth momentum expected to carry into the final months of the year.
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