AFP
The number of international tourists will surpass pre-Covid pandemic levels this year, thanks to the recovery of the sector in Asia and despite international conflicts, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicted on Friday.
Some 1.3 billion tourists traveled abroad last year, 44% more than in 2022 (900 million), a figure that is equivalent to 88% of the level in 2019, before the pandemic, the Madrid-based UN agency indicated.
Last year's recovery was driven by a strong push in the Middle East, where tourist arrivals exceeded their 2019 level by 22%, but also in Europe, the world's leading tourist destination, where activity reached 94% of its pre-pandemic level.
In Asia, the recovery was weaker: the number of international tourists was limited to 65% of the 2019 level, despite the lifting of health restrictions a year ago in China after three years of a "zero Covid" policy, the UNWTO said in a statement.
"The latest UNWTO data highlights the resilience and rapid recovery of tourism," said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, quoted in the statement, who expects that this year's international tourist numbers will exceed 2019 levels by 2%.
According to the UN agency, the activity will benefit from the rise in tourism in China, thanks to the easing of visa requirements for many countries, including France, Germany and Italy, and from travel by Chinese citizens to other parts of the world.
However, the forecast could be affected by "economic and geopolitical turbulence," especially in the Middle East, where tourism is expected to be impacted by the consequences of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the UNWTO noted.
"Persistent inflation, high interest rates, volatile oil prices and trade disruptions could continue to impact transport and accommodation costs in 2024," he warned.
