MADRID โ The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has bared that 1.4 billion people traveled internationally in 2024, marking a significant recovery for global tourism after the Covid-19 pandemic, which caused the sector’s worst crisis in 2020-2021.
According to the Madrid-based UNWTO, the number represents an 11 percent increase which refers to around 140 million more travelers compared to the previous year, bringing international tourism figures back to pre-pandemic levels.
The largest growth in the growth of visitor numbers was observed in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. The Middle East saw 95 million visitors, reflecting a 32% increase from 2019. Africa recorded 74 million visitors, a 7% rise, and Europe welcomed 747 million visitors, a modest one percent increase.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said global tourism completed its post-pandemic recovery in 2024, with many more destinations surpassing 2019 levels in both tourist arrivals and revenue.
He added that strong demand is expected to drive the industryโs further growth this year. (Anadolu)
