Data recently released by UN Tourism highlighted the positive signals of the world tourism industry in recent times. According to UN Tourism, the first seven months of 2024 recorded about 790 million international tourist arrivals, an increase of about 11% compared to the same period in 2023 and only 4% lower than the level in 2019.
In particular, the Middle East and Africa welcomed international arrivals exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels. Other regions are also not far from the goal of recovering international tourist arrivals. According to UN Tourism, international tourism revenue in 2023 reached about 1.8 trillion USD, almost at pre-pandemic levels.
In the first half of 2024, the international tourism revenue of many countries, such as Albania, Serbia, Portugal, Turkey and Colombia, grew at double and triple digits compared to the same period in 2019. This gives an optimistic view of the growth prospects for the whole year.
The above figures show that a full recovery of the tourism industry by the end of 2024 is possible. UN Tourism said that this recovery is due to the strong demand from European tourists and the reopening of many markets in Asia and Oceania.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said that measures to increase air connectivity and ease visa restrictions bring about the recovery.
Despite many achievements, the world tourism industry is still facing many challenges. Experts say that inflation and trade disruptions, leading to increased travel and accommodation costs, are the main challenges for the tourism industry.
In addition, the shortage of human resources is also a big problem when demand is high. Extreme weather events still directly affect many tourism activities. Geopolitical instability also lowers expectations about the recovery of the global tourism industry.
The rapid recovery and the challenges show the urgency of more comprehensive and sustainable policies for the tourism industry, not just economic benefits. During the recent G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting in Belem, Brazil, delegates highlighted the important contributions of the “smokeless industry” to socio-economic development and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Data recently released by UN Tourism highlighted the positive signals of the world tourism industry in recent times. According to UN Tourism, the first seven months of 2024 recorded about 790 million international tourist arrivals, an increase of about 11% compared to the same period in 2023 and only 4% lower than the level in 2019.
The Belem Declaration adopted by the G20 Tourism Ministers affirms the common commitment to develop a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive tourism industry. Accounting for more than 70% of international tourist arrivals and global revenue, the G20 needs to take the lead in promoting the strengths of the tourism industry.
Tourism can also become a “catalyst” that enhances mutual understanding between cultures and countries, promoting peace and development. This was highlighted by UN Tourism on World Tourism Day (September 27), with the theme of 2024 being “Tourism and Peace”.
This theme is timely because the continuous outbreak of conflicts threatens peace, hindering the recovery and sustainable growth of economies and the tourism industry.
In his message on World Tourism Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasised the link between tourism and peace. He stated that tourism increases interdependence between economies, thereby encouraging cooperation and development.
The UN Secretary-General also said that every tourist can become an ambassador, contributing to the effort to unite countries. As the head of the United Nations called for, the international community needs to join hands to exploit the potential of the tourism industry to build bridges between cultures, contributing to ensuring peace and prosperity for all people.
