Africa Leads Global Tourism Growth as Asia-Pacific Advances in Recovery

According to the latest UN Tourism Barometer, nearly 690 million international tourists traveled between January and June 2025, representing 33 million more than in the same period of 2024. While results varied across regions, Africa stood out with the strongest performance, and Asia-Pacific continued moving closer to pre-pandemic levels.

The report highlights that growth in both arrivals and tourism revenues has contributed to the development of local economies, jobs, and livelihoods. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stated: “In the face of global challenges, international tourism continues to show strong momentum and resilience. This reminds us of our great responsibility to ensure that growth is sustainable and inclusive, working with all local stakeholders.”

Regionally, Africa grew by 12% compared to the first half of 2024, with North Africa up 14% and Sub-Saharan Africa rising 11%. Europe received almost 340 million tourists, up 4% from 2024 and 7% above 2019 levels, although Central and Eastern Europe still lagged 11% below pre-pandemic figures.

In the Americas, overall growth was 3%. South America led with 14%, while Central America edged up only 2%. North America and the Caribbean remained flat, with slight declines from key source markets such as the United States. The Middle East dropped 4%, though its numbers still stood 29% above 2019, the best performance relative to pre-pandemic levels.

The Asia-Pacific region advanced by 11%, reaching 92% of 2019 levels. Northeast Asia grew 20% versus 2024, though still 8% below 2019. Countries such as Japan and Vietnam saw growth of 21%, South Korea rose 15%, and Morocco expanded by 19%. In Europe, France and Spain each grew 5%, while Mexico and the Netherlands posted 7% gains.

Tourism revenues also increased significantly. Japan rose 18%, the United Kingdom 13%, France 9%, and both Spain and Türkiye 8% each. On the outbound side, China and Spain led spending with +16% each, followed by the United Kingdom (+15%), Singapore (+10%), and South Korea (+8%). In 2024, global revenues had already reached a record USD 1.73 trillion, up 14% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Despite this momentum, risks remain. UN Tourism warned of the effects of inflation in transport and accommodation, as well as geopolitical tensions and weakened consumer confidence. Nevertheless, confidence improved slightly: the UN Tourism Confidence Index for September–December reached 120, compared to 114 in the previous four months. With this, the organization maintains its forecast of 3%–5% growth in international arrivals for 2025, reaffirming the resilience of global tourism demand.

According to the latest UN Tourism Barometer, nearly 690 million international tourists traveled between January and June 2025, representing 33 million more than in the same period of 2024. While results varied across regions, Africa stood out with the strongest performance, and Asia-Pacific continued moving closer to pre-pandemic levels.

The report highlights that growth in both arrivals and tourism revenues has contributed to the development of local economies, jobs, and livelihoods. UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stated: “In the face of global challenges, international tourism continues to show strong momentum and resilience. This reminds us of our great responsibility to ensure that growth is sustainable and inclusive, working with all local stakeholders.”

Regionally, Africa grew by 12% compared to the first half of 2024, with North Africa up 14% and Sub-Saharan Africa rising 11%. Europe received almost 340 million tourists, up 4% from 2024 and 7% above 2019 levels, although Central and Eastern Europe still lagged 11% below pre-pandemic figures.

In the Americas, overall growth was 3%. South America led with 14%, while Central America edged up only 2%. North America and the Caribbean remained flat, with slight declines from key source markets such as the United States. The Middle East dropped 4%, though its numbers still stood 29% above 2019, the best performance relative to pre-pandemic levels.

The Asia-Pacific region advanced by 11%, reaching 92% of 2019 levels. Northeast Asia grew 20% versus 2024, though still 8% below 2019. Countries such as Japan and Vietnam saw growth of 21%, South Korea rose 15%, and Morocco expanded by 19%. In Europe, France and Spain each grew 5%, while Mexico and the Netherlands posted 7% gains.

Tourism revenues also increased significantly. Japan rose 18%, the United Kingdom 13%, France 9%, and both Spain and Türkiye 8% each. On the outbound side, China and Spain led spending with +16% each, followed by the United Kingdom (+15%), Singapore (+10%), and South Korea (+8%). In 2024, global revenues had already reached a record USD 1.73 trillion, up 14% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Despite this momentum, risks remain. UN Tourism warned of the effects of inflation in transport and accommodation, as well as geopolitical tensions and weakened consumer confidence. Nevertheless, confidence improved slightly: the UN Tourism Confidence Index for September–December reached 120, compared to 114 in the previous four months. With this, the organization maintains its forecast of 3%–5% growth in international arrivals for 2025, reaffirming the resilience of global tourism demand.