International tourism recovered 63% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022, with Europe and the Middle East in the lead

• International tourism saw stronger than expected results in 2022, backed by large pent-up demand and the lifting or relaxation of travel restrictions in a large number of countries.
• Over 900 million tourists travelled internationally in 2022, double those in 2021 though still 37% fewer than in 2019.
• International tourism recovered 63% of pre-pandemic levels, in line with UNWTO’s scenarios published in May 2022.
• Europe, the world’s largest destination region, recorded 585 million arrivals in 2022 to reach nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels (-21% over 2019). The Middle East enjoyed the strongest relative increase across regions in 2022 with arrivals climbing to 83% of pre-pandemic numbers (-17% versus 2019).
• Africa and the Americas both recovered about 65% of its pre-pandemic visitors, while Asia and the Pacific reached only 23%, due to stronger pandemic-related restrictions.
• By subregions, Western Europe (87%) and the Caribbean (84%) came closest to their pre-pandemic levels.
• The year 2022 saw a strong rebound in tourism spending, resulting in the recovery of pre-pandemic levels in income across many destinations.
• Looking ahead, international tourism is set to consolidate its recovery in 2023, backed by pent-up demand, particularly from Asia and the Pacific as destinations and markets open up.
• The UNWTO Panel of Experts survey indicates that 72% of respondents expect better performance in 2023. However, most experts (65%) also believe international tourism will not return to 2019 levels until 2024 or later.
• Based on UNWTO’s scenarios for 2023, international tourist arrivals could reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels this year, with Europe and the Middle East expected to reach those levels. However, important risks remain ahead, especially economic and geopolitical.
• Tourists are expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel close to home in response to the challenging economic environment.

UNWTO panel of experts, highlights survey January 2023

• The survey conducted in January 2023 shows a slight uptick in the UNWTO Confidence Index for the period September-December 2022, reflecting improved confidence levels in the last months of the year. On a scale of 0 to 200, the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts rated the period September-December 2022 with a score of 123, above the expectations expressed in the September survey ahead of that 4-month period (111).
• Expectations for the period January-April 2023 indicate cautious optimism, with still large pent-up demand though in a context of uncertainty and volatility. Some 51% of
• Respondents expect better (38%) or much better (13%) performance, while almost half see equal performance (26%) or worse (20%). The UNWTO Confidence Index shows a slight improvement (119) in January-April 2023 compared to prospects expressed for the previous period of September-December (111).
• The challenging economic environment including high inflation and the spike in oil prices, as well as the fears of a global recession, continues to be the main factor weighing on the recovery of tourism.
• Furthermore, continued uncertainty derived from the Russian aggression against Ukraine and other mounting geopolitical tensions, health challenges related to COVID-19, as well as workforce shortages also represent downside risks.
• The UNWTO Panel of Experts survey indicates that 72% of respondents expect better performance in 2023. However, most experts (65%) also believe international tourism will not return to 2019 levels until 2024 or later.

UNWTO outlook 2023: prospects for international tourism

• Based on UNWTO’s scenarios for 2023, international tourist arrivals could reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels this year, with Europe and the Middle East expected to reach those levels.
• After a strong rebound in 2022, international tourism could climb close to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 driven by strong pent-up demand and the reestablishment of travel flows in most parts of the world, including the re-opening of several destinations and source markets in Asia, particularly China.
• The complete recovery remains subject to certain risks like a potential economic slowdown amid high inflation and rapid interest hikes, which have increased financial costs and debt levels.
• Higher food and energy prices result in lower purchasing power and weaker consumer confidence, which could weigh on travel demand in 2023, specially in terms of spending. Travellers may increasingly seek value for money and take trips closer to home in response to the challenging economic environment. The Russian offensive in Ukraine and geopolitical tensions in North-East Asia could also disrupt the normalization of travel.

Tourism: One of the Hardest Hit Sectors Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

• The pandemic caused an unprecedented disruption to tourism, with a massive fall of international demand amid widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions put in place by countries in order to contain the spread of the virus.
• This resulted in huge economic and social impacts, placing over 100 million direct tourism jobs at risk, especially in micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) which represent 80% of the sector and employ a high share of women and young people.
• International travel plunged by 72% in 2020, the worst year on record for tourism, resulting in 1.1 billion fewer international tourists worldwide (overnight visitors), putting the number of travellers back to levels of 30 years ago.
• International tourism experienced a 5% increase in 2021, 22 million more international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) compared to 2020 (427 million versus 405 million). However, international arrivals were still 71% below the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
• International tourism rebounded moderately during the second half of 2021. The uplift in demand was driven by increased traveler confidence amid rapid progress on vaccinations and the easing of entry restrictions in many destinations. However, the pace of recovery remained slow and uneven across world regions due to varying degrees of mobility restrictions, vaccination rates and traveler confidence. 
• Europe and the Americas recorded the strongest results in 2021 compared to 2020 (+19% and +17% respectively), but still both 63% below pre-pandemic levels.

Unprecedented Impact from COVID-19

^{Source: UNWTO, * Pre-pandemic year, ** Preliminary results}

• The coronavirus pandemic caused a 72% decline in international tourist arrivals in 2020 and 71% in 2021, compared to 2019. This represents a loss of 2.1 billion international arrivals in both years combined.
• As a result, export revenues from international tourism plunged 63% in 2020 and 61% in 2021 (real terms) which amounts to a combined loss of US$ 2.1 trillion in this two-year period.

Changes in Consumer Trends

Short-lived trends or here to stay?

Related links

• The Economic Contribution of Tourism and the Impact of COVID-19
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer
• UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard
• 2020: A year in review