Has global tourism truly recovered?

Global tourism is recovering, reaching 84% of pre-pandemic levels, with the Middle East growing by 20% compared to 2019 and the Asia-Pacific region by 61%.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 700 million people traveled internationally from January to July this year, a 43% increase compared to the same period in 2022 and 84% of the 2019 figure. The Middle East, Europe, and Africa led the recovery. The Middle East was the only region to surpass 2019 visitor numbers, increasing by more than 20%.

Europe received 91% of the pre-pandemic visitor numbers, with the majority coming from within the EU and the US. Africa recovered to 92%, and the Americas ranked fourth with an 87% recovery.

The recovery of international visitors compared to 2019 worldwide and by region. Photo: UNWTO

In the Asia- Pacific region, the recovery rate reached 61%. UNTWO assessed this recovery as "very rapid" compared to 2022, thanks to many large markets such as China and Japan easing quarantine measures and reopening.

In Vietnam, the latest figures from the National Tourism Administration show that in the first 10 months of the year, the country welcomed 10 million international visitors, equivalent to 67% compared to the same period in 2019.

July was the peak month with over 145 million international visitors recorded, accounting for 20% of the total global travel in the first seven months. "The data once again shows that tourism is recovering strongly everywhere in the world," said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Pololikashvili added that the tourism industry also needs to adapt to the challenges of recovery, such as extreme weather and the heatwave that swept across Europe this summer. Furthermore, the return of large numbers of tourists necessitates the development of a more comprehensive and sustainable management system globally.

Tourists take photos in front of Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Photo: Guft News.

The forecast for the fourth quarter of this year is that the global tourism industry will continue to recover, but at a "moderate" pace compared to the peak season of June-August.

According to the UNWTO's panel of experts, the challenging economic climate continues to be a factor affecting the effective recovery of global tourism in 2023.
Prolonged inflation and high oil prices have led to higher transportation and accommodation costs. This has somewhat affected tourists' travel preferences, leading them to seek more budget-friendly options, travel closer to home, and opt for shorter trips.

( By Anh Minh , according to UNTWO )

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