UN Tourism Reports Robust Global Recovery With 1.52 Billion Arrivals In 2025

In 2025, international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) increased by four per cent, with the majority of destinations around the world seeing strong performance. The first World Tourism Barometer of the year reports that approximately 1.52 billion international tourists travelled globally in 2025, nearly 60 million more than in 2024.

These numbers reflect a return to pre-pandemic growth trends, closer to the 5 per cent average increase per year between 2009 and 2019. Results were driven by strong demand, robust performance from large source markets and the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific. Increased air connectivity and enhanced visa facilitation also supported international travel in 2025.

Shaikha Alnuwais, UN Tourism Secretary-General, said, “Demand for travel remained high throughout 2025, despite high inflation in tourism services and uncertainty from geopolitical tensions. We expect this positive trend to continue into 2026 as global economy is expected to remain steady and destinations still lagging behind pre pandemic levels fully recover.”

We expect this positive trend to continue into 2026 as global economy is expected to remain steady and destinations still lagging behind pre pandemic levels fully recover

Africa sees strongest results in 2025; Asia and the Pacific rebounds

The UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer provides detailed data on the sector by region, sub-region, and destination. Key insights from this edition include:

Europe, the world’s largest destination region, welcomed 793 million international tourists in 2025, marking a four per cent increase from 2024 and six per cent more than in 2019. Western Europe and Southern Mediterranean Europe performed strongly, with growth of five per cent and three per cent, respectively. Central and Eastern Europe rebounded sharply with 6 per cent growth, although arrivals remained nine per cent below 2019 levels.

The Americas recorded 218 million tourists, a one per cent increase over the previous year, with varied results across subregions. After a strong first half of 2025, the region experienced slight declines in the third and fourth quarters, partly due to weaker performance in the United States. South America and Central America led subregional growth, rising seven per cent and five per cent, respectively. Some Caribbean destinations were impacted by Hurricane Melissa in the final quarter of the year.

Africa saw an eight percent increase in arrivals, totaling 81 million, with North Africa achieving particularly strong growth of 11 per cent.

The Middle East grew by three per cent, reaching levels 39 per cent above those before the pandemic, the strongest increase compared to 2019. The region nearly reached 100 million international visitors in 2025.

Asia and the Pacific received 331 million tourists, a six per cent increase, though arrivals remain nine per cent below 2019 as the region continues to recover. North-East Asia led the growth with a 13 per cent increase over 2024, while South Asia returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Most destinations report positive results for 2025

After strong growth in 2024, most destinations continued to perform well in 2025. Among destinations with data for the full year, several experienced double-digit increases in international arrivals, including Brazil with 37 per cent growth, Egypt with 20 per cent, Morocco with 14 per cent, and Seychelles with 13 per cent. Destinations reporting data through November also showed strong gains, such as Bhutan with 30 per cent, Iceland with 29 per cent, Guyana with 24 per cent, South Africa with 19 per cent, and Japan with 17 per cent growth.

The positive trends in international arrivals were reflected across other industry indicators. According to the UN Tourism Data Dashboard, international air capacity and air passenger traffic each grew by seven per cent through October 2025. Global occupancy in accommodation establishments reached 66 per cent in November 2025, matching the level recorded in November 2024.

Tourism export revenues reached a record $ 2.2 trillion in 2025. Monthly data indicate strong visitor spending throughout the year, with preliminary estimates showing $ 1.9 trillion in international tourism receipts globally, representing a five per cent increase compared to 2024. Total export revenues from tourism, including receipts and passenger transport, are estimated at $ 2.2 trillion.

International tourism receipts saw exceptional growth in 2025, following an already strong 2024, with many destinations recording higher increases in receipts than in arrivals. Destinations reporting strong growth in receipts during the first ten to twelve months of 2025 included Morocco with 19 per cent, the Republic of Korea with 18 per cent, Egypt with 17 per cent, Mongolia with 15 per cent, Japan with 14 per cent, Latvia with 11 per cent, and Mauritius with 10 per cent, all measured in local currencies.

Among the world’s top tourism earners, the United Kingdom and France both saw nine per cent growth, Spain grew by seven per cent, and Türkiye by six per cent in the first ten to twelve months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Data on international tourism expenditure mirrored these trends, showing strong demand from major source markets such as the United States with eight per cent growth, France with four per cent, Spain with 16 per cent, and the Republic of Korea with 10 per cent.

Outlook for 2026

International tourism is expected to grow three per cent to four per cent in 2026 compared to 2025, assuming that Asia and the Pacific continues to recover, global economic conditions remain favorable and geopolitical conflicts do not escalate. Uncertainty from current geopolitical tensions and conflicts pose an increasing risk for tourism in 2026.

UN Tourism’s prospects for 2026 reflect a normalisation of growth rates after a strong rebound in international arrivals in 2023 and 2024 and a four per cent increase in 2025.  

This positive outlook is confirmed by the latest UN Tourism Confidence Index and survey among the Panel of Experts. 58 per cent of experts foresee better or much better performance in 2026 than in 2025, while 31 per cent expect similar results and 11 per cent worse.  

Survey respondents pointed to economic factors, high travel costs, and geopolitical risks as the main challenges international tourism could face in 2026. These factors were viewed as the most relevant by about half of all experts.

While headline inflation has receded globally in 2025, inflation in tourism-related services remains elevated by historical standards. Against this backdrop, tourists are expected to continue to seek value for money according to the Panel of Experts.

While positive prospects for the global economy and lower oil prices could favour tourism performance in 2026, uncertainty derived from geopolitical risks and ongoing conflicts, trade tensions and extreme weather events could weigh on traveller confidence.

International tourism in 2026 will be driven by solid consumer demand, enhanced air connectivity and growing outbound travel from emerging markets. Major international events such as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics (Italy) and the FIFA World Cup 2026 (Canada, United States and Mexico) will also contribute to international travel.