International tourism back to 60% of pre-pandemic level

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals almost tripled in January to July 2022 (+172 per cent) compared to the same period of 2021. This means the sector recovered almost 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The steady recovery reflects strong pent-up demand for international travel as well as the easing or lifting of travel restrictions to date (86 countries had no Covid-19 related restrictions as of 19 September 2022).

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, said: "Tourism continues to recover steadily, yet several challenges remain, from geopolitical to economic. The sector is bringing back hope and opportunity for people everywhere. Now is also the time to rethink tourism, where it is going and how it impacts people and planet."

Now is also the time to rethink tourism, where it is going and how it impacts people and planet, he added. An estimated 474 million tourists travelled internationally over the period, compared to the 175 million in the same months of 2021. An estimated 207 million international arrivals were recorded in June and July 2022 combined, over twice the numbers seen in the same two months last year. These months represent 44 per cent of the total arrivals recorded in the first seven months of 2022. Europe welcomed 309 million of these arrivals, accounting for 65 per cent of the total.

Europe and the Middle East lead recovery

Europe and the Middle East showed the fastest recovery in January-July 2022, with arrivals reaching 74 per cent and 76 per cent of 2019 levels respectively. Europe welcomed almost three times as many international arrivals as in the first seven months of 2021 (+190 per cent), with results boosted by strong intra-regional demand and travel from the United States. The region saw particularly robust performance in June (-21 per cent over 2019) and July (-16 per cent), reflecting a busy summer period. Arrivals climbed to about 85 per cent of 2019 levels in July. The lifting of travel restrictions in a large number of destinations also fuelled these results (44 countries in Europe had no Covid-19 related restrictions as of 19 September 2022).

The Middle East saw international arrivals grow almost four times year-on-year in January-July 2022 (+287 per cent). Arrivals exceeded pre-pandemic levels in July (+3 per cent), boosted by the extraordinary results posted by Saudi Arabia (+121 per cent) following the Hajj pilgrimage.

The Americas (+103 per cent) and Africa (+171 per cent) also recorded strong growth in January-July 2022 compared to 2021, reaching 65 per cent and 60 per cent of 2019 levels respectively. Asia and the Pacific (+165 per cent) saw arrivals more than double in the first seven months of 2022, though they remained 86 per cent below 2019 levels, as some borders remained closed to non-essential travel.

Tourism spending rises, but challenges grows

The ongoing recovery can also be seen in outbound tourism spending from major source markets. Expenditure from France climbed to -12 per cent in January-July 2022 compared to 2019 while spending from Germany rose to -14 per cent. International tourism spending stood at -23 per cent in Italy and -26 per cent in the United States.

Robust performance was also recorded in international passenger air traffic, with a 234 per cent increase in January-July 2022 (45 per cent below 2019 levels) and a recovery of some 70 per cent of pre-pandemic traffic levels in July, according to IATA.

Stronger-than-expected demand has also created important operational and workforce challenges in tourism companies and infrastructure, particularly airports. Additionally, the economic situation, exacerbated by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, represents a major downside risk. The combination of increasing interest rates in all major economies, rising energy and food prices and the growing prospects of a global recession as indicated by the World Bank, are major threats to the recovery of international tourism through the remainder of 2022 and 2023.