Global International Travel: By the Numbers

According to UNWTO, 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded in 2018 (pre-pandemic peak), a 6% rise from 2017. Growth leaders:

• Asia-Pacific: +7%
• Middle East: +10%
• Europe: +6%
• Americas: +3%
• Africa: +5%

Drivers: rising middle classes, cheaper airfares, visa liberalization, digital booking. COVID-19 caused a 73% drop in 2020; recovery reached ~88% of 2019 levels by 2023.

Tourism represents ~10% of global GDP and 1 in 10 jobs worldwide.