Tourism on Track for Full Recovery, Says UNWTO
International tourism is well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels, with twice as many people travelling during the first quarter of 2023 than in the same period of 2022, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) barometer released on Tuesday.
The second UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year shows that the sector’s swift recovery has continued into 2023 as, according to data, international arrivals overall reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels during January-March of 2023.
According to the barometer, an estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same period of 2022.
“The start of the year has shown again tourism’s unique ability to bounce back. In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals,” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said.
By region in Q1 2023, the barometer showed that the Middle East saw the strongest performance as the only region exceeding 2019 arrivals (+15 percent) and the first to recover pre-pandemic numbers in a full quarter.
Europe reached 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels, driven by strong intra-regional demand; Africa reached 88 percent; the Americas about 85 percent; and Asia and the Pacific reached 54 percent of 2019 levels.
The UNWTO data also analysed recovery by sub-region and by destination: Southern Mediterranean Europe and North Africa have also recovered pre-pandemic levels in Q1 2023, while Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central America and the Caribbean all came close to reaching those levels.
Despite the positive signs, the UNWTO’s secretary general advised countries to “remain alert to challenges” ranging from geopolitical insecurity, staffing shortages, and the potential impact of the cost-of-living crisis on tourism
“We must ensure tourism’s return delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency and as a driver of inclusive development,” Pololikashvili said.
Revenue in 2022
International tourism receipts grew back to hit the 1 trillion dollars mark in 2022, growing 50 percent in real terms compared to 2021, driven by the important rebound in international travel.
International visitor spending reached 64 percent of pre-pandemic levels (-36 percent compared to 2019, measured in real terms).
By regions, Europe enjoyed the best results in 2022 with nearly 550 billion dollars in tourism receipts (520 billion euros), or 87 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
Looking Ahead
The Q1 2023 results are in line with UNWTO’s forward-looking scenarios for the year which project international arrivals to recover 80 percent to 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels. UNWTO’s Panel of Experts expressed their confidence in a strong peak season (May-August) in the Northern Hemisphere, reflected in the latest UNWTO Confidence Index which indicates performance for the period is on track to be even better than 2022.
However, tourism’s recovery also faces some challenges.
According to the UNWTO Panel of Experts, the economic situation remains the main factor weighing on the effective recovery of international tourism in 2023, with high inflation and rising oil prices translating into higher transport and accommodations costs. As a result, tourists are expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel closer to home. Uncertainty derived from the Russian aggression against Ukraine and other mounting geopolitical tensions, also continue to represent downside risks.