1.4B people traveled internationally in 2024: UN

MADRID

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced Tuesday 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, this represents an 11% increase which refers to approximately 140 million more travelers compared to the previous year, bringing international tourism figures back to pre-pandemic levels.

The largest growth in visitor numbers compared to 2019 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, marking a 7% rise, and Europe welcomed 747 million visitors, showing 1% growth.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili noted that global tourism completed its post-pandemic recovery in 2024, with many destinations surpassing 2019 levels in both tourist arrivals and revenue.

He added that strong demand is expected to drive further growth in 2025.

*Writing by Merve Berker