KATHMANDU: International tourist arrivals worldwide increased by 4 percent in 2025, reflecting strong and sustained demand for travel despite inflationary pressures and geopolitical uncertainties, according to UN Tourism.

Citing the first World Tourism Barometer of 2026, UN Tourism said an estimated 1.52 billion international tourists travelled globally in 2025—nearly 60 million more than in 2024—marking a return to pre-pandemic growth patterns, close to the annual average growth of 5 percent recorded between 2009 and 2019.

The growth was driven by robust demand in major source markets, the continued recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific, improved air connectivity and enhanced visa facilitation.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Alnuwais said demand for travel remained strong throughout 2025 despite high inflation in tourism services and ongoing geopolitical tensions. She added that the positive momentum is expected to continue into 2026 as global economic conditions remain steady and destinations yet to fully recover from the pandemic catch up.

Africa leads, Asia-Pacific rebounds

Regionally, Africa recorded the strongest growth, with international arrivals rising 8 percent to 81 million, led by North Africa, which posted an 11 percent increase.

Asia and the Pacific saw arrivals grow 6 percent to 331 million, though volumes remain 9 percent below 2019 levels. North-East Asia led the rebound with 13 percent growth, while South Asia reached pre-pandemic levels.

Europe, the world’s largest destination region, welcomed 793 million tourists, up 4 percent from 2024 and 6 percent above 2019 levels. Western Europe and Southern Mediterranean Europe posted solid growth, while Central and Eastern Europe rebounded strongly but remained below pre-pandemic figures.

The Americas recorded modest growth of 1 percent, with strong performances in South America (+7%) and Central America (+5%), offset by weaker results in the United States and parts of the Caribbean affected by hurricanes late in the year.

The Middle East continued to outperform, recording 3 percent growth in 2025 and reaching nearly 100 million international visitors, around 39 percent above pre-pandemic levels.

Destinations post strong gains

Several destinations reported double-digit growth in international arrivals in 2025, including Brazil (+37%), Egypt (+20%), Morocco (+14%) and Seychelles (+13%). Countries reporting data through November also showed strong results, such as Bhutan (+30%), Iceland (+29%), Japan (+17%) and South Africa (+19%).

Other tourism indicators also reflected the positive trend. International air capacity and passenger traffic grew 7 percent through October 2025, while global hotel occupancy reached 66 percent in November, matching 2024 levels.

Tourism export revenues hit record high

UN Tourism reported that international tourism receipts reached an estimated USD 1.9 trillion in 2025, a 5 percent increase from 2024. Total tourism export revenues, including passenger transport, are estimated at a record USD 2.2 trillion.

Many destinations saw faster growth in receipts than arrivals, including Morocco, Japan, Egypt and the Republic of Korea. Among top tourism earners, the UK, France, Spain and Türkiye all posted solid gains.

Outlook for 2026

UN Tourism projects global tourism growth of 3–4 percent in 2026, assuming continued recovery in Asia and the Pacific and stable global economic conditions. However, geopolitical conflicts, high travel costs and extreme weather events remain key risks.

According to the UN Tourism Confidence Index, 58 percent of experts expect better performance in 2026 compared to 2025, while major global events such as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup 2026 are expected to further boost international travel.