Tourism Recovery Accelerates To Reach 65% Of Pre- Pandemic Levels

INTERNATIONAL tourism is on track to reach 65 per cent of pre- pandemic levels by the end of 2022, as the sector continues to bounce back from the pandemic. An estimated 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, more than double (+ 133 per cent) the number recorded for the same period in 2021. This equates to 63 per cent of 2019 levels and puts the sector on course to reach 65 per cent of its pre- pandemic levels this year, in line with UNWTO scenarios. Strong pent- up demand, improved confidence levels and the lifting of restrictions in an increasing number of destinations boosted results.

Highlighting the speed at which the sector has recovered from the worst crisis in its history, the latestworld Tourism Barometer from UNWTO reveals that monthly arrivals were 64 per cent below 2019 levels in January 2022 and had reached - 27 per cent by September. An estimated 340 million international arrivals were recorded in the third quarter of 2022 alone, almost 50 per cent of the nine- month total.

Europe continues to lead the rebound of international tourism. The region welcomed 477 million international arrivals in January- September 2022 ( 68 per cent of the world total), hitting 81 per cent of pre- pandemic levels. This was more than double that of 2021 (+ 126 per cent) with results boosted by strong intra- regional demand and travel from the United States. Europe saw particularly robust performance in Q3, when arrivals reached almost 90 per cent of 2019 levels.

At the same time, the Middle East saw international arrivals more than triple (+ 225 per cent) year on year in January- September 2022, climbing to 77 per cent of pre- pandemic levels. Africa (+ 166 per cent) and the Americas (+ 106 per cent) also recorded strong growth compared to 2021, reaching 63 per cent and 66 per cent of 2019 levels, respectively.

In Asia and the Pacific (+ 230 per cent) arrivals more than tripled in the first nine months of 2022, reflecting the opening of many destinations, including Japan at the end of September. However, arrivals in Asia and the Pacific remained 83 per cent below 2019 levels. China, a key source market for the region, remains closed.

Several subregions reached 80 per cent to 90 per cent of their pre- pandemic arrivals in JanuarySeptember 2022. Western Europe ( 88 per cent) and Southern Mediterranean Europe ( 86 per cent) saw the fastest recovery towards 2019 levels. The Caribbean, Central America ( both 82 per cent) and Northern Europe ( 81 per cent) also recorded strong results. Destinations reporting arrivals above pre- pandemic levels in the nine months through September include Albania, Ethiopia, Honduras, Andorra, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, El Salvador and Iceland.

In the month of September, arrivals surpassed prepandemic levels in the Middle East (+ 3 per cent over 2019) and the Caribbean (+ 1 per cent) and came close in Central America (- 7 per cent), Northern Europe (- 9 per cent) and Southern and Mediterranean Europe (- 10 per cent).