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World Tourism Barometer: January 2023

International tourism recovers 63% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022

According to new data from UNWTO , more than 900 million tourists traveled internationally in 2022 – double the number recorded in 2021.

Tourism recovery is foreseen to continue throughout 2023 even as the sector faces economic, health and geopolitical challenges. The recent lifting of COVID-19 related travel restrictions in China, the world’s largest outbound market in 2019, is a significant step for the recovery of the tourism sector in Asia, the Pacific, and worldwide. 

All regions enjoyed significant increases in 2022 over the previous year, and are well on their way to seeing pre-pandemic tourist arrivals.

The resumption of travel from China is likely to benefit Asian destinations in particular. However, the choice of destinations will be shaped by the availability and cost of air travel, visa regulations, and processes, as well as COVID-19-related restrictions. Current travel restrictions can be found in the UNWTO/IATA Destination Tracker .

Based on UNWTO’s scenarios for 2023, international tourist arrivals could reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels this year, with Europe and the Middle East expected to reach those levels. However, important risks remain ahead, especially economic and geopolitical.

According to the latest survey of the Panel of Experts, the challenging economic environment including high inflation and interest rates, the spike in oil and food prices, as well as the fears of a global recession, continues to be the main factor weighing on the recovery of tourism.

An excerpt of the World Tourism Barometer issue for January 2023 is available here .

And updated information on destination tourism performance can be found on UNWTO’s Recovery Tracker .

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Economic Impact Research

• In 2023, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed 9.1% to the global GDP; an increase of 23.2% from 2022 and only 4.1% below the 2019 level.
• In 2023, there were 27 million new jobs, representing a 9.1% increase compared to 2022, and only 1.4% below the 2019 level.
• Domestic visitor spending rose by 18.1% in 2023, surpassing the 2019 level.
• International visitor spending registered a 33.1% jump in 2023 but remained 14.4% below the 2019 total.

Click here for links to the different economy/country and regional reports

Why conduct research?

From the outset, our Members realised that hard economic facts were needed to help governments and policymakers truly understand the potential of Travel & Tourism. Measuring the size and growth of Travel & Tourism and its contribution to society, therefore, plays a vital part in underpinning WTTC’s work.

What research does WTTC carry out?

Each year, WTTC and Oxford Economics produce reports covering the economic contribution of our sector in 185 countries, for 26 economic and geographic regions, and for more than 70 cities. We also benchmark Travel & Tourism against other economic sectors and analyse the impact of government policies affecting the sector such as jobs and visa facilitation.

Visit our Research Hub via the button below to find all our Economic Impact Reports, as well as other reports on Travel and Tourism. 

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COVID-19 impact on tourism could deal $4 trillion blow to global economy: UN report

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism could result in a more than $4 trillion loss to the global economy, UN trade and development body UNCTAD said on Wednesday in a report issued jointly with the UN World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO ). 

The estimate is based on losses caused by the pandemic’s direct impact on tourism and the ripple effect on related sectors, and is worse than previously expected. 

Last July, UNCTAD estimated that the standstill in international tourism would cost the global economy between $1.2 trillion and $3.3 trillion. 

The steep drop in tourist arrivals worldwide in 2020 resulted in a $2.4 trillion economic hit, the report said, and a similar figure is expected this year depending on the uptake in COVID-19 vaccines. 

Global vaccination plan crucial 

“The world needs a global vaccination effort that will protect workers, mitigate adverse social effects and make strategic decisions regarding tourism, taking potential structural changes into account,” said Isabelle Durant, the UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General. 

“Tourism is a lifeline for millions, and advancing vaccination to protect communities and support tourism’s safe restart is critical to the recovery of jobs and generation of much-needed resources, especially in developing countries, many of which are highly dependent on international tourism,” the UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili added. 

Developing countries hit hard 

International tourist arrivals declined by about 1 billion, or 73 per cent, last year, while in the first quarter of 2021 the drop was around 88 per cent, the report said. 

Developing countries have borne the brunt of the pandemic’s impact on tourism, with estimated reductions in arrivals of between 60 per cent and 80 per cent. 

They have also been hurt by vaccine inequity.  The agencies said the “asymmetric roll-out” of COVID-19 vaccines has magnified the economic blow to the tourism sector in these nations, as they could account for up to 60 per cent of global GDP losses. 

Rebound amid losses 

It is expected that tourism will recover faster in countries with high vaccination rates, such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

However, international tourist arrivals will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023 or later, due to barriers such as travel restrictions, slow containment of the virus, low traveller confidence and a poor economic environment.  

While a tourism rebound is anticipated in the second half of this year, the report expects a loss of between $1.7 trillion and $2.4 trillion in 2021, based on simulations which exclude stimulation programmes and similar policies. 

As tourism falls world GDP takes a hit in 2021

Likely outcomes 

The authors outline three possible scenarios for the tourism sector this year, with the most pessimistic reflecting a 75 per cent reduction in international arrivals. 

This scenario sees a drop in global tourist receipts of nearly $950 billion, which would cause a loss in real GDP of $2.4 trillion, while the second reflects a 63 per cent reduction in international tourist arrivals. 

The third considers varying rates of domestic and regional tourism.  It assumes a 75 per cent reduction in tourism in countries where vaccine rates are low, and 37 per cent reduction in countries with relatively high vaccination levels, mainly developed countries and some smaller economies.

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Tourism Can Help Lead the World to Recovery

About the author, zurab pololikashvili.

Zurab Pololikashvili is Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

26 September 2020 T he COVID-19 pandemic has hit global tourism harder than any other major economic sector. In an effort to contain the spread of the virus and keep their citizens safe, countries around the world introduced restrictions on international travel, bringing tourism to a standstill almost overnight. Indeed, at the peak of this lockdown, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) found that 100 per cent of global destinations had either closed their borders to tourists completely or introduced strict measures such as compulsory quarantine for new arrivals.

The sudden and unexpected fall in tourist arrivals also placed on hold the many social and economic benefits that tourism delivers. Globally, tourism supports one in ten jobs, and 80 per cent of the sector is made up of small businesses, including family operations. At the start of the crisis, UNWTO set out three possible scenarios for tourism in 2020, depending on when and how widely travel restrictions would be lifted. While it looks like we will avoid the worst-case scenario, we nevertheless expect global tourist arrivals to be down by as much as 70 per cent this year compared to 2019.

The knock-on effect will be significant. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that tourism’s woes will cause global GDP to decline by as much as 1.5 per cent to 2.8 per cent . Furthermore, the fall in tourist numbers will likely translate into as many as 120 million lost jobs. And, as always, the most vulnerable will suffer the most, including women and youth, for whom tourism is a leading source of opportunity, as well as those working in the informal economy.

Developing countries at greatest risk

No country has been left unscathed by the pandemic, including with regard to tourism. The effects, however, will be most profoundly felt in those destinations that are most reliant on tourism for livelihoods and economic well-being. For the majority of the world’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as well as the least developed countries, most notably within Africa, tourism is a lifeline. On average, tourism accounts for 30 per cent of export revenues for SIDS , and in some cases this is much higher. Indeed, in Palau—the newest UNWTO member State, having officially joined in 2019— tourism generates 90 per cent of all exports .

As the United Nations Secretary-General’s Policy Brief on “ COVID-19 and Transforming Tourism ” makes clear, the true cost of the pandemic’s impact on tourism cannot be measured in GDP or employment figures alone. Due to its unique cross-cutting nature, touching upon nearly every part of modern society, tourism is an essential contributor to the wider mission of the United Nations, including achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Again, as a leading employer of women, tourism leads the way in the journey towards gender equality. At the same time, tourism is a leading contributor to the promotion and protection of cultural and natural heritage, which is in jeopardy, including the ecosystems and wildlife that draw visitors to developing countries.

Building cooperation and a united response

Before the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic, UNWTO recognized both the unique vulnerability of tourism and also the sector’s unique potential to drive wider societal recovery once the health crisis had been tackled. The visit of a UNWTO delegation to WHO headquarters in Geneva laid the foundations for the international, multi-organizational cooperation that has defined tourism’s response to an unprecedented challenge.

This, in turn, came on the back of heightened advocacy for tourism at the very highest political level, most notably at the European Commission at the start of the year, to make sure the sector is at the centre of the planned European New Green Deal, as well as at the most recent meetings of the G20 nations. This has allowed UNWTO to become an increasingly prominent voice within the United Nations. When the crisis hit, we were able to make sure that tourism was part of the conversation at both the governmental and United Nations levels.

The Global Tourism Crisis Committee, convened virtually in March and then meeting five times as the crisis evolved, brought together leading voices from member States and from the private sector. Only UNWTO was in a position to unite such a diverse sector. This Crisis Committee channelled these diverse voices and concerns into a clear plan of action, the UNWTO Recommendations for Recovery . These Recommendations have been embraced across the public and private sectors and now inform recovery plans in every global region.

Sustainability takes centre stage

Central to the Recommendations is the principle that sustainability and inclusivity are at the heart of both the recovery process and the tourism sector that emerges out of this crisis. The pause in global tourism presents the global community with a chance to reassess its priorities. It also allows us to put the principles that are central to the work of UNWTO—namely that tourism works for people and planet, and should be open to all and benefit all—front and centre of everything we do.

The number one priority, however, is to build trust and confidence. Only by making people feel safe and encouraging them to travel again will the benefits that tourism offers start to return. UNWTO, as the specialized United Nations agency for tourism, must lead by example. To this end, as soon as it was safely possible, in-person visits to member States resumed: to the Canary Islands and Ibiza in Spain, to Italy, and to Saudi Arabia. The decision was also made to hold a hybrid Executive Council meeting, the first in-person meeting of the tourism sector and the United Nations to be held since the start of the pandemic. This brought together 170 delegates from 24 countries, sending a clear message that safe international travel is now possible in many parts of the world, thus providing a vital confidence boost for the sector.

As tourism restarts in many parts of the world, with growing numbers of countries easing travel restrictions, the sector’s position within the work of the United Nations has never been more relevant. UNWTO leads the restart guided by the principles of the Tbilisi Declaration , signed by our member States in Georgia at the close of the UNWTO Executive Council (15–17 September 2020). The Declaration recognizes the importance of tourism to livelihoods, to economic prosperity and opportunity, and to preserving our shared and unique culture. Signatories also committed to building back better, prioritizing sustainability and equality, and ensuring that, as tourism builds a brighter future, nobody is left behind.

The UN Chronicle  is not an official record. It is privileged to host senior United Nations officials as well as distinguished contributors from outside the United Nations system whose views are not necessarily those of the United Nations. Similarly, the boundaries and names shown, and the designations used, in maps or articles do not necessarily imply endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

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Experimental statistics assess tourism’s economic impact.

Today, Eurostat released a new webpage on tourism satellite accounts on Europe as part of our experimental statistics section . 

The data released under the new experimental statistics presents indicators that help assess the economic contribution of the tourism sector, complementing the information collected across the accommodation sector and households, which focuses on visitor flows within and between countries.

Tourism satellite accounts (TSA) compile economic data for the tourism sector, such as gross value added and jobs created by tourism industries in European economies. This helps users understand the macro-economic dimension of tourism and its impact on the economy and labour market. The term ‘satellite accounts’ was introduced because TSA rely on the concepts of the national accounts system in identifying the tourism sector and quantifying its macro-economic importance.

The joint framework of TSA was established by the United Nations (UN), the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Eurostat and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Its implementation and level of maturity differs strongly across Europe, while some countries publish TSA regularly as an official statistical product, TSA is still under development in other countries. Therefore, the aggregate at European level is presented as experimental.

For more information

• Statistics Explained article on tourism satellite accounts on Europe
• Thematic section on tourism
• Database on tourism
• Podcast on experimental statistics
• Webinar on tourism statistics
• TSA recommended methodological framework
• Tourism Satellite Accounts in Europe – 2023 edition

If you have any queries, please visit our contact us page.  

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Launch of OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2024

OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2024 comes as the tourism economy emerges from recent crises, and takes stock of the strong but uneven recovery and the outlook for the future. It provides data and analysis on tourism trends and policy approaches across 50 OECD member and partner countries, and examines approaches to promote a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive tourism for the future.

Why attend?

The report launch will bring together high-level policy makers and industry decision-makers for a lively and stimulating discussion focusing on the latest tourism trends and policy responses as new opportunities and challenges emerge, while shifting to more balanced and sustainable models of tourism.

What does the report provide?

• Insights into the tourism policy priorities, reforms, and developments to consolidate and build on a strong but uneven recovery.
• Analysis of the outlook for tourism, amid the unfolding economic recovery, geopolitical tensions, cost-of-living pressures, increasing climate-related events and rapid technological developments.
• Evidence on how to build a more balanced future of tourism for more sustainable outcomes, with examples of country policy responses and practices.
• Thematic chapters providing insights on how to strengthen the tourism workforce and improve the evidence base for sustainable tourism policies. 

Ms. Lamia Kamal-Chaoui

  Director,   Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities | OECD

Mr. Hubert Gambs

Deputy Director General, DG GROW   | European Commission

Mr. Sergio Guerreiro

Senior Director | Turismo de Portugal, Chair of the OECD Tourism Committee

Mr. Brian Beall

Director | National Travel and Tourism Office, US Dept of Commerce

Ms. Gitta Brueckman

Vice President Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA | Marriott International

Ms. Herim Lee

Director | Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Korea

Mr. Jeremy Sampson

CEO | Travel Foundation

Mr. Tim Fairhurst

 Director General | European Tourism Association (ETOA)

Mr. Patrick Torrent

Vice President, Network of European Regions for Sustainable and Competitive Tourism (NECSTouR) 

Discover what the event is about.

12:00-12:25 Launch of OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2024

Ms. Lamia Kamal-Chaoui,  Director,   Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities | OECD

Mr. Hubert Gambs,  Deputy Director General, DG GROW   | European Commission

12:25-13:20 Panel: Beyond the recovery – shaping tourism development for a more sustainable future

Moderator: 

Mr. Sergio Guerreiro,  Senior Director | Turismo de Portugal, Chair of the OECD Tourism Committee

Panellists:

Mr. Brian Beall,  Director | National Travel and Tourism Office, US Dept of Commerce

Ms. Gitta Brueckman,   Vice President Corporate Social Responsibility EMEA | Marriott International

Ms. Herim Lee, Director | Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Korea

Mr. Jeremy Sampson, CEO | Travel Foundation

13:20– 13:40 Q&A

13:40-13:45 closing remarks.

Ms. Jane Stacey, Head of Tourism Unit | OECD

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