Tourexpi
International Tourist Arrivals Rise 5% in Q1 2025, Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Levels
This
figure places Q1 arrivals 3% above pre-pandemic levels in 2019, underscoring
the continued resilience of the tourism sector amid ongoing global challenges.
Zurab
Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, remarked:
“Tourism
remains a cornerstone of the global services economy, supporting millions of
jobs and businesses. The steady rise in international arrivals and higher
visitor spending reflect the sector’s adaptability and positive economic impact
worldwide.”
Regional
Performance Highlights:
·
Europe: 125 million international
tourists (+2% vs Q1 2024, +5% vs 2019); strong rebound in Central & Eastern
Europe (+8%), while Southern Mediterranean saw modest growth (+2%).
·
Africa: +9% growth over Q1 2024;
arrivals now stand 16% above 2019 levels.
·
Asia and the Pacific: +12% growth,
reaching 92% of 2019 levels; North-East Asia led with a 23% rebound.
·
Americas: +2% growth overall, driven
by South America (+13%) during the Southern Hemisphere summer.
·
Middle East: +1% increase from 2024;
however, the region remains 44% above pre-pandemic levels.
Air
Travel & Accommodation:
Data
from IATA shows an 8% rise in international air travel demand in Q1 2025.
Global accommodation occupancy averaged 64% in March, steady compared to 2024
levels.
Tourism
Receipts Reflect Strong Visitor Spending
Early
2025 saw robust growth in tourism receipts across multiple destinations:
·
Spain: +9% (Jan–Feb); following +16%
growth in 2024
·
Türkiye: +7%, with Greece, Italy, and Portugal
each at +4%
·
France: +6%; Norway +20%; Denmark +11%
·
Japan: +34% in Q1; Nepal +18%; Korea
and Mongolia +14%
·
USA: +3%, following +14% in 2024
Revised
2024 figures show international tourism export revenues reached a record USD
2.0 trillion, 15% above 2019, accounting for 6% of global exports and 23% of
global services trade.
Tourism
receipts alone hit USD 1.7 trillion, with average spending per trip rising to USD
1,170.
Key
outbound markets such as China (+30%), UK (+16%), Canada (+13%), and Saudi
Arabia (+17%) led the spending growth.
Outlook:
Mixed Sentiment Amid Global Uncertainty
UN
Tourism’s Panel of Experts identified economic headwinds—including slow growth,
high travel costs, and rising tariffs—as the top risks for tourism in 2025. Geopolitical
tensions and declining consumer confidence also emerged as key concerns.
Despite
these factors, the sector is expected to remain resilient, with continued
demand for value-for-money, regional, and shorter trips. The latest UN Tourism
Confidence Index reflects cautious optimism for the upcoming Northern
Hemisphere summer (May–August 2025):
·
45% of experts expect better or much
better performance than 2024
·
33% foresee similar results
·
22% anticipate a decline
UN
Tourism maintains its 2025 forecast of 3%–5% growth in international arrivals.
Source:
UN Tourism
Image Credit: © Tourexpi with Adobe Express
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