UN Projects a Complete Recovery in International Travel by 2024

The United Nations World Tourism Organization stated on Friday that foreign visitor arrivals are expected to increase by 2% from 2019 to 2024, marking the full recovery of global tourism from the epidemic.This year will see a full recovery of tourism activities worldwide thanks to improved air connectivity and a robust recovery in Asian markets. However, the UN tourism body noted that geopolitical instability in the Middle East and elsewhere poses a risk to the industry because it undermines the confidence of potential tourists.Travel demand in the Middle East exceeded that of Europe and Africa in 2023, and both regions nearly attained pre-pandemic levels.A number of locations, including the Caribbean, Central America, and North Africa sub-regions, as well as Mediterranean Europe, saw more foreign visitors in 2018 than in 2019.After the government granted people of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia visa-free travel until November 30, 2024, the organization anticipates a massive surge in the Chinese market in 2024.

This year will see an increase in the number of flights into and out of China.With 1.3 billion foreign visitors, international tourism reached 88% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023.The paper states that the total industry contribution to the world economy in 2023 was $3.3 trillion.Initial estimates indicate that international tourism will expand by 2% above 2019 levels in 2024, when it is predicted to fully recover from pre-pandemic levels. The UNWTO's primary forecast is still dependent on how quickly Asia recovers and how the geopolitical and economic downside risks change.