Global tourism is likely to fully recover from the COVID-19 shock in 2024, with Asia-Pacific lagging behind other destinations in tourist arrivals, the United Nations agency estimates. There is.
Last year, the world recorded an estimated 1.29 billion foreign tourists, about 88% of 2019, driven by a strong recovery in the Middle East, with arrivals higher than four years ago. It is reported that the increase was 22% compared to the previous year.
Compared to 2019 levels, tourist arrivals rebounded by 94% in Europe, 96% in Africa and 90% in the Americas last year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
The similar figure for Asia Pacific was 65%, with the Maldives and Fiji among the top destinations.
Northeast Asia, including Japan and China, has been slow to recover, with demand returning to about 55% of 2019 levels.
The weak yen has made Japan an attractive destination for foreign tourists, with the number of Japanese tourists reaching 25.07 million last year, about 80% of 2019 levels, according to government data.
“There is still significant scope for recovery across Asia,” UNWTO said, adding that improvements in Asian markets, as well as pent-up demand and increased air connectivity, will help the world achieve a full tourism recovery by the end of the year. He pointed out that it was helpful. Year.
In addition, the Chinese government has allowed visa-free travel for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia for one year starting December 2023, and this year will see a recovery in Chinese outbound and inbound tourists. It is also expected that this will accelerate.
The agency said that despite the positive outlook, geopolitical risks pose “significant” challenges to a sustained recovery in tourism. The conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas, which began in October, has heightened these risks, raising concerns that it could spread across the Middle East.
In 2023, global tourism receipts reached $1.4 trillion, approximately 93% of 2019 levels.
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