World Travel Records 1.52 B Tourists 2025 Africa leads Regional
World Travel Records 1.52 B Tourists 2025 and Africa leads Regional. Top performers are Brazil, Egypt, Morocco, and the Seychelles.
In 2026, foreign Tourists travel is expected to increase by three to four percent.
As more people worldwide started traveling overseas again in 2025, international travel accelerated.
Global travel is regaining its rhythm, as evidenced by the 1.52 billion foreign visitors that visited places worldwide last year.
This represents a steady increase over 2024. Pent-up demand, reduced visa requirements.
It improved flight connections kept tourism afloat and brought the sector closer to pre-pandemic growth trends.
Steady Increase in International Tourist Arrivals in 2025
In 2025, the number of foreign visitors increased by 4%.
During the year, an anticipated 1.52 billion foreign visitors traveled around the world, which is almost 60 million more than in 2024.
These numbers indicate a return to pre-pandemic growth patterns, closely matching the roughly 5% average yearly growth observed between 2009 and 2019.
Sustained demand and the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia and the Pacific contributed to the recovery.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Alnuwais states that despite rising prices and worldwide unpredictability, travel demand remained robust throughout 2025.
She added that the upward trend is anticipated to continue into 2026 as lagging destinations fully recover.
As Asia and the Pacific Rebound, Africa Leads Growth
Africa is the best-performing region in 2025, according to regional data from the World Tourism Barometer, with foreign arrivals increasing by 8% to 81 million. With a rise of 11%, North Africa topped the spike.
793 million foreign visitors visited Europe, the most popular travel destination in the globe, rising 4% from 2024 and 6% from 2019.
Whereas Central and Eastern Europe witnessed a robust recovery, arrivals remained below pre-pandemic levels, whereas Western Europe and Southern Mediterranean Europe saw substantial increase.
South America and Central America outperformed other subregions in the Americas, which saw a moderate 1% gain.
With approximately 100 million visits and a 3% growth in 2025, the Middle East continues to show remarkable success, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 39%.
Arrivals in Asia and the Pacific rose 6% to 331 million, however they were still 9% less than in 2019.
While South Asia returned to pre-pandemic levels, North-East Asia spearheaded the recovery.
2025’s Top-Performing Destinations
International arrivals at a number of locations increased by double digits in 2025. For the entire year, Brazil, Egypt, Morocco, and the Seychelles were some of the top performers.
Sharp increases in arrivals to places like Bhutan, Iceland, Guyana, South Africa, and Japan were also evident in data available through November, indicating a resurgence of interest in long-distance and experiential travel.
The estimated revenue from international tourism is USD 1.9 trillion
With international tourist receipts expected at USD 1.9 trillion, a 5% rise over 2024, visitor spending remained strong throughout 2025.
An unprecedented USD 2.2 trillion is projected to be generated by tourism-related exports, including passenger transportation.
According to local currency calculations, Morocco, the Republic of Korea, Egypt, Mongolia, and Japan were among the destinations with the highest growth in tourism receipts.
The United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Turkiye, which are among the top tourist destinations in the globe, also reported strong growth in comparison to 2024.
What 2026 Will Bring
If Asia and the Pacific continue to improve and the world economy remains steady, it is anticipated that international tourism would increase by 3 to 4% in 2026.
Although strong consumer demand, better connection, and significant international events played a big role.
Likes of FIFA World Cup 2026 and the Winter Olympics in Milan are anticipated to increase travel, geopolitical unrest and exorbitant travel expenses continue to be the main threats for the upcoming year.
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