Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 18) — Over 900 million tourists across the globe traveled internationally last year, around twice the figure recorded in 2021, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported.
According to the UN agency, all regions saw “notable” increases in international tourist arrivals, although the total is still just 63% of pre-pandemic levels.
The UNWTO said the biggest relative increase was recorded in the Middle East, where arrivals climbed to 83% of pre-pandemic numbers.
Europe reached nearly 80%, while Africa and the Americas both recovered about 65% of their number of visitors before the COVID-19 crisis hit.
Meanwhile, the agency said Asia and the Pacific hit only 23% due to stricter pandemic-related rules, some of which were only recently removed.
For 2023, the UNWTO projects the global tourism sector’s recovery to continue, with international tourist arrivals expected to reach 80% to 95% of pre-COVID-19 levels.
It said it sees as a significant factor the recent lifting of pandemic-related travel restrictions in China — the world’s largest outbound market in 2019.
“In the short term, the resumption of travel from China is likely to benefit Asian destinations in particular,” the UNWTO said. “However, this will be shaped by the availability and cost of air travel, visa regulations and COVID-19 related restrictions in the destinations.”
The agency also forecast that countries across the world will continue to benefit from strong demand from the United States, backed by the strong US dollar.
“Europe will continue to enjoy strong travel flows from the US, partly due to a weaker euro versus the US dollar,” it added.
Still, the UNWTO noted the global economic slowdown could mean a more cautious attitude among tourists, with reduced spending, shorter trips and travels closer to home.
“Furthermore, continued uncertainty caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and other mounting geopolitical tensions, as well as health challenges related to COVID-19, also represent downside risks and could weigh on tourism’s recovery in the months ahead,” it said.
