UN Tourism has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the sector’s resilience and increasing its importance for inclusive development in Small Island Developing States. 

China has recovered its position as top spender on international tourism in 2023 as Asia and the Pacific consolidates its recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. In 2022, the list of top spenders was headed by the United States. France, Spain and USA took the top spots for most-visited destinations.

While 95% of national tourism policies acknowledge nature as a primary asset for tourism, actual detailed plans for sustainable management practices are often lacking, a new report from UN Tourism reveals.

With six years to go for the deadline of the Global Goals, UN Tourism Secretary-General has called for a people-centered transformation of tourism.

International tourist arrivals reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024. According to UN Tourism, more than 285 million tourists travelled internationally in January-March, about 20% more than the first quarter of 2023, underscoring the sector’s near-complete recovery from the impacts of the pandemic.

Over 260 villages from more than 60 countries representing the five regions of the world have put themselves forward for the 2024 edition of Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism 2024. This marks the highest volume of applications ever received in the past four editions.

UN Tourism has joined leading international organizations and government leaders at the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, held in Baku around the theme of "Dialogue for Peace and Global Security: Cooperation and Interconnectivity."