Travel and Tourism Post-COVID Recovery Continues in 2023

Global tourism industry is on its way to recovering to pre-pandemic levels, with twice as many tourists traveling in Q1 2023 than in Q1 2022

According to the latest industry data, an estimated 235 million tourists traveled internationally in the first three months of 2023, with worldwide traveler numbers reaching 80% of pre-pandemic levels. 960 million people had traveled abroad last year, representing a recovery to 66% of pre-pandemic figures.

The report released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also highlighted that international tourism receipts hit the $1 trillion mark in 2022, growing 50% in real terms compared to 2021, driven by the rebound in international travel. Global visitor spending reached 64% of pre-pandemic levels, it added.

“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. However, we must remain alert to challenges ranging from geopolitical insecurity, staffing shortages, and the potential impact of the cost-of-living crisis on tourism, and we must ensure tourism’s return delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency and as a driver of inclusive development,” the UNWTO Secretary-General said.

Currently, international tourism is on track to make a full recovery, with twice as many people traveling during the first quarter of 2023 than in the same period last year.

The Middle East saw the strongest recovery and was the only region that exceeded its 2019 arrivals (+15%). It was also the first region to recover to pre-pandemic numbers in a full quarter, according to the report. Europe reached 90% of its pre-pandemic levels, driven by strong intra-regional demand. Meanwhile, Africa and the Americas were at 88% and 85% of their 2019 levels, respectively.

Asia and the Pacific accelerated its recovery to 54% of pre-pandemic levels, the UN agency wrote, adding that the upward trend is set to accelerate now that most destinations, including China, have reopened.

The Q1 2023 results are in line with UNWTO’s forward-looking scenarios for the year which project international arrivals to recover 80% to 95% 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.