Global tourism industry "revives" spectacularly after COVID-19 pandemic

The figure of 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals in 2024 officially reached the level of 2019 - the time before the COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the global tourism industry.

On January 20, the United Nations World Tourism Organization announced that international tourism has fully recovered from the shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2024 sees 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals worldwide, driven by "strong" demand from key markets.

"Most destinations welcomed more international tourists than before the pandemic, while tourist spending continued to grow strongly," the Madrid-based agency said in a statement.

The 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals last year were 11% higher than the 1.3 billion recorded in 2023, and officially reached the level of 2019 - the time before the COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the global tourism industry.

"By 2024, global tourism will have completed its recovery from the pandemic, and in many places, tourist arrivals and especially revenues will be higher than in 2019," said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

According to the World Tourism Organization, Europe - the world's most popular tourist destination - recorded 747 million international arrivals in 2024, up 5% from the previous year and 1% higher than the 2019 level.

Notably, all regions of Europe have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with the exception of Central and Eastern Europe, where many destinations are still suffering from the lingering effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

While international arrivals to Asia and the Pacific are set to grow by an impressive 33% to 316 million by 2024, they are still only 87% of pre-pandemic levels, a notable point that shows that the region still has room to recover and grow even stronger.

In addition to the overall figures, several destinations reported double-digit growth in international arrivals compared to 2019. El Salvador stood out with an 81% increase, while Morocco also recorded a significant 35% increase.

These figures demonstrate the attractiveness and resilience of individual destinations, despite the overall difficulties of the industry.

Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili optimistically predicted: "Growth is expected to continue through 2025, driven by strong demand, contributing to the socio-economic development of both traditional and emerging destinations./.

(Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nganh-du-lich-toan-cau-hoi-sinh-ngoan-muc-sau-dai-dich-covid-19-post1008583.vnp