International tourism up 5% in first half of 2025 despite global challenges

International tourist arrivals increased by 5% in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to UN Tourism. 

That represents about 690 million travellers, 33 million more than last year, and roughly 4% above pre-pandemic levels.

“In the face of global challenges, international tourism continues to see strong momentum and resilience,” said UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. 

“The first half of 2025 brought growing arrival numbers and revenues for most destinations around the world, which contribute to local economies, jobs and livelihoods. Yet, this also reminds us of our great responsibility to ensure this growth is sustainable and inclusive and to work with all local stakeholders in that sense.”

Regional performance

• Africa led growth with a 12% increase year-over-year, including +14% in North Africa and +11% in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Europe welcomed nearly 340 million international tourists (+4% over 2024, +7% over 2019). Central and Eastern Europe rebounded strongly (+9%) but remained 11% below 2019 levels.

• The Americas saw overall growth of 3%, with South America (+14%) driving results. Central America (+2%) and North America (+0%) showed weaker trends, partly due to declines in the U.S. and Canada.

• The Middle East posted 4% fewer arrivals than last year but remained 29% above 2019.

• Asia and the Pacific grew 11% compared to 2024, reaching 92% of pre-pandemic levels. North-East Asia (+20%) was the strongest performer relative to last year, though still slightly below 2019.

Among individual destinations, Japan and Vietnam (+21% each), the Republic of Korea (+15%), Morocco (+19%), Mexico and the Netherlands (+7%) were notable performers. France and Spain, the world’s top destinations, each recorded 5% growth through May.

Industry indicators

According to IATA, international air traffic and capacity both grew 7% in the first half of 2025. Global hotel occupancy reached 69% in June (slightly below 2024), rising to 71% in July, the same as last year.

Tourism receipts also rose in several key destinations: Japan (+18%), the UK (+13%), France (+9%), Spain (+8%) and Türkiye (+8%). Outbound spending was also strong in markets such as China (+16%), Spain (+16%), the UK (+15%), Singapore (+10%) and the Republic of Korea (+8%).

Risks and outlook

High transport and accommodation costs remain the main challenges for global tourism, according to the UN Tourism Panel of Experts. 

Tourism inflation is projected to ease from 8.0% in 2024 to 6.8% in 2025, still well above pre-pandemic levels. Economic and geopolitical tensions also weigh on consumer confidence.

The UN Tourism Confidence Index showed a slight improvement for September–December 2025, with a score of 120 (up from 114 for May–August). About half of experts surveyed expect better or much better performance in the final months of the year.

Despite ongoing uncertainty, UN Tourism’s forecast for 2025—international arrivals growing between 3% and 5%—remains unchanged.

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