world tourist arrivals 2019

By Bastian Herre, Veronika Samborska and Max Roser

Tourism has massively increased in recent decades. Aviation has opened up travel from domestic to international. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of international visits had more than doubled since 2000.

Tourism can be important for both the travelers and the people in the countries they visit.

For visitors, traveling can increase their understanding of and appreciation for people in other countries and their cultures.

And in many countries, many people rely on tourism for their income. In some, it is one of the largest industries.

But tourism also has externalities: it contributes to global carbon emissions and can encroach on local environments and cultures.

On this page, you can find data and visualizations on the history and current state of tourism across the world.

Interactive Charts on Tourism

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Global tourism hits record highs - but who goes where on holiday?

As the holiday season approaches, we look at the rise and rise of tourism and find out where the world’s 1.4bn international travellers go on vacation

How many people travel abroad on holiday?

Tourism is on the rise. In 2018 there were a record 1.4bn international tourist arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNTWO), a rise of 6% over 2017. That doesn’t mean 1.4 billion people travel abroad for their holidays, as many people will clock up more than one trip.

But it does mean tourism is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy. In 2018, it was worth about $1.7tn (£1.3tn), or about 2% of total global GDP. Even the UNWTO is struggling to keep up, with current figures vastly exceeding expectations.

In 1950 there were 25m international tourist visits, rising to 166m in 1970, and 435m in 1990.

The growth of budget airlines has made travelling more accessible, with passengers able to fly from London Stansted to Düsseldorf for just £7.99. For many Londoners, this costs less than a day’s commute.

Nikodem Szumilo, associate professor of economics and finance of the built environment at UCL, says the growth of the global tourist industry is partly due to the rise of digital services. “The most recent development in the industry was a small revolution of online reviews and online bookings which reduced prices but increased satisfaction,” he says. “This means that more people travel more often.”

What are the most popular destinations?

According to the UNWTO, four-fifths of tourists travel within their own region. Continuing a long term trend, Europe leads the way in overseas visits, receiving 713 million visitors last year alone.

Globally, France leads the way, followed by Spain, the US, China and Italy. The UK is the seventh most visited country in the world.

However, other regions are on the rise. Last year, trips to North Africa rose 10%, and tourism to sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East is also increasing, as demand for unconventional destinations grows.

In 2018, Uber ranked the most visited destinations around the world for its users. The Empire State Building in New York claimed first place, followed by the city’s Freedom Tower and CN Tower in Toronto. The Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower in Paris completed the top five.

Buckingham Palace, the only British attraction in the top 15, came seventh ahead of the Berlin Wall, the Vatican, Disneyland and the Egyptian pyramids.

So which country provides the most visitors?

The number of tourists produced by a country tends to correlate with its income and population.

China’s rising wealth has resulted in a huge growth of tourism abroad, making Chinese people the world’s most abundant tourists. In 2017, Chinese tourists made 143m journeys abroad, followed by Germany (92m), the US (87.8m) and the UK (74.2m).

According to the Office for National Statistics, UK residents consistently make more visits abroad than foreign residents make to Britain. Favoured destinations are Spain, France and Italy. Three in four Britons remain within the EU, but the US was the fourth most visited location for UK citizens last year.

Tourism is growing rapidly in Russia, whose tourist numbers rose by 16% last year. France and Australia are increasingly important players, increasing by 10% and 9% respectively.

Who comes to the UK?

Unsurprisingly, London was the UK’s most popular destination, with more than half of all UK visits including a trip to the capital. Edinburgh was the second hottest tourist spot, and Manchester third.

Americans top the list of arrivals, but four-fifths of the UK’s most-visiting countries were from Europe.

How important is tourism to the UK?

The tourist industry is responsible for about 2.5% of British GDP. Last year, visitors spent almost £23bn in the UK, though visitor numbers fell slightly on 2017 (a record year).

In spite of this dip, Visit Britain – the official tourism board – estimates that by 2025 Britain’s tourism industry could be worth as much as 10% of GDP and will employ more than one in 10 people.

Will Brexit have an impact?

Claudio Milano from Ostelea School of Tourism doesn’t think so, calling the supposed link between Brexit and tourism “mainly political propaganda”.

He said that the most likely impact of Brexit on the tourist industry is on labour patterns. “Tourism is a sector which is based on migrant workers,” he says. “So Brexit will have more of impact on tourism’s workforce than on the attractiveness of the UK.”

Sun, culture, jobs, growth – what’s not to like?

Er … overcrowding, rising property prices, planeloads of stag parties marauding through Euro capitals with penis-tiaras on their heads: there is a dark side to tourism.

Hotspots around the world are struggling under the weight of “over-tourism”, which threatens massive destruction of local environments and communities.

Tourists are responsible for large quantities of single-use plastics that pollute beaches and threaten wildlife, and souvenir hunters have been known to break off pieces of endangered coral to keep as memorabilia.

While traffic and overcrowding are well documented side effects of tourism, Szumilo says intense pressure on hospitals and public transport from tourists can also strain resources, leaving public services unable to cater for locals.

Szumilo highlights the impact of holiday homes on local communities. Often empty for most of the year, second homes can reduce supply for locals, limit economic growth and raise house prices.

“When we talk about travel and tourism, we think about beaches, holiday resorts, and iconic sceneries,” says Marina Novelli, professor of tourism and international development at the University of Brighton.

“We tend not to think about space politics, social justice, gender equality, poverty alleviation, environmental management or the impact that epidemics or conflicts may inflict on destinations.”

What’s to blame?

According to Milano, the phenomenon of over-tourism comes partially from the rise in global mobility. Increased transnational travel has led to rising numbers of international students, migrant workers, second home residents, and even journalists working overseas. He also emphasises the role of neoliberalism, which he says is turning cities from “locations to destinations”.

The rise of short-term letting apps has also been blamed. Last month, 10 European cities issued a joint letter to the EU demanding help in their battle against Airbnb . The company has long been criticised for its role in housing shortages, raising house prices and displacing local residents.

What are countries doing about it?

Last month, the picturesque city of Bruges announced it would stop advertising day trips, limit the number of cruise ships docking nearby and shift docking times to ease the weekend rush.

The Unesco world heritage site has experienced a 28% rise in tourism in the past two years, with the mayor, Dirk De Fauw, doubting the city’s ability to cope with mounting numbers of tourists. “We have to control the influx more if we don’t want Bruges to become a complete Disneyland here,” he says.

Last year another Unesco world heritage site, Dubrovnik, announced limitations on cruise ships. After overcrowding in ancient alleyways, outdoor tables were also restricted, and new crackdowns were imposed on street vendors catering to swathes of tourists.

Following in the footsteps of popular Majorca, Rome – which hosts 15.2 million tourists annually – recently announced restrictions on antisocial tourist behaviour. The measures include a crackdown on drunk and disorderly conduct and a ban on shirtless sightseeing.

After causing structural damage to picturesque bridges around the world, love padlocks – attached by romantic partners – are also coming under new regulation.

Bridges in Paris have already begun their removal, with the deputy mayor saying “they spoil the aesthetics of the bridge, are structurally bad for it and can cause accidents”.

Hardly the best omen for relationships, but perhaps the only way to save the City of Love.

However, these targeted measures may not be enough. Milano says that to meaningfully change the tourist industry, we first need to change the way we understand it.

“Tourism is generally only measured in the number of international arrivals, but we need new indicators and a new set of measures of tourism,” he says. “For example, do we have gender equality in our tourist industries? Why are men always executives? Are jobs in tourism decent? What about the liveability of local residents? It’s a question at a political level about how we define and understand tourism.”

• The briefing

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International tourism, number of arrivals - Country Ranking

Definition: International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.

Source: World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.

See also: Thematic map , Time series comparison

More rankings: Africa | Asia | Central America & the Caribbean | Europe | Middle East | North America | Oceania | South America | World |

Development Relevance: Tourism is officially recognized as a directly measurable activity, enabling more accurate analysis and more effective policy. Whereas previously the sector relied mostly on approximations from related areas of measurement (e.g. Balance of Payments statistics), tourism today possesses a range of instruments to track its productive activities and the activities of the consumers that drive them: visitors (both tourists and excursionists). An increasing number of countries have opened up and invested in tourism development, making tourism a key driver of socio-economic progress through export revenues, the creation of jobs and enterprises, and infrastructure development. As an internationally traded service, inbound tourism has become one of the world's major trade categories. For many developing countries it is one of the main sources of foreign exchange income and a major component of exports, creating much needed employment and development opportunities.

Limitations and Exceptions: Tourism can be either domestic or international. The data refers to international tourism, where the traveler's country of residence differs from the visiting country. International tourism consists of inbound (arrival) and outbound (departures) tourism. The data are from the World Tourism Organization (WTO), a United Nations agency. The data on inbound and outbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals and departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival. The data on inbound tourism show the arrivals of nonresident tourists (overnight visitors) at national borders. When data on international tourists are unavailable or incomplete, the data show the arrivals of international visitors, which include tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Statistical information on tourism is based mainly on data on arrivals and overnight stays along with balance of payments information. These data do not completely capture the economic phenomenon of tourism or provide the information needed for effective public policies and efficient business operations. Data are needed on the scale and significance of tourism. Information on the role of tourism in national economies is particularly deficient. Although the World Tourism Organization reports progress in harmonizing definitions and measurement, differences in national practices still prevent full comparability. Arrivals data measure the flows of international visitors to the country of reference: each arrival corresponds to one in inbound tourism trip. If a person visits several countries during the course of a single trip, his/her arrival in each country is recorded separately. In an accounting period, arrivals are not necessarily equal to the number of persons travelling (when a person visits the same country several times a year, each trip by the same person is counted as a separate arrival). Arrivals data should correspond to inbound visitors by including both tourists and same-day non-resident visitors. All other types of travelers (such as border, seasonal and other short-term workers, long-term students and others) should be excluded as they do not qualify as visitors. Data are obtained from different sources: administrative records (immigration, traffic counts, and other possible types of controls), border surveys or a mix of them. If data are obtained from accommodation surveys, the number of guests is used as estimate of arrival figures; consequently, in this case, breakdowns by regions, main purpose of the trip, modes of transport used or forms of organization of the trip are based on complementary visitor surveys.

Aggregation method: Gap-filled total

Periodicity: Annual

Note: This page was last updated on December 28, 2019

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International tourism, number of arrivals

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Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

• Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region

The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide increased across all regions in 2023 compared to the previous year. That said, except from the Middle East, inbound arrivals remained below the figures reported in 2019, before the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Overall, Europe reported the highest volume of inbound travelers over the period considered, with around 700 million arrivals in 2023.

Impact of COVID-19 on travel and tourism worldwide

The COVID-19 pandemic set unprecedented challenges for the global travel and tourism market in 2020 and 2021, as countries worldwide introduced lockdowns and travel bans to curb the number of infections. As a result of the COVID-19 impact, the estimated number of jobs lost in the travel and tourism industry worldwide totaled 63 million in 2020. Meanwhile, the share of total gross domestic product generated by the global travel and tourism industry in 2022 did not catch up with pre-pandemic levels yet.

When will inbound tourism worldwide recover?

According to a report published by the European Travel Commission, the global volume of inbound travelers was forecast to rise sharply in 2022 and experience further grow in 2023. That year, looking at the regional breakdown of the inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide , the Asia Pacific region is predicted to report the highest annual increment in inbound tourists.

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2005 to 2023, by region (in millions)

Additional Information

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January 2024

2005 to 2023

Data prior to 2011 were previously published by the source.

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Statistics on " Travel and tourism in Europe "

• International tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022, by subregion
• Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Europe 2019-2022
• Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by type
• Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by tourist type
• Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe 2019-2022
• Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021
• International tourist arrivals in Europe 2006-2023
• International tourist arrivals in Europe 2010-2022, by region
• Monthly number of inbound tourist arrivals in Europe 2019-2023
• Monthly change in tourist arrivals in Europe 2020-2023, by region
• Inbound tourism visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region
• International tourist arrival growth in European countries 2019-2023
• International tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022
• Number of domestic tourist trips in EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021
• Number of domestic arrivals in tourist accommodation in the EU 2011-2022
• Domestic tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022
• Domestic tourism spending in EU-27 countries and the UK 2019-2022
• Share of Europeans planning to take a domestic summer trip 2023, by country
• Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region
• Outbound visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region
• Number of outbound trips from EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021
• European countries with the highest outbound tourism expenditure 2019-2022
• Travel intentions of Europeans in the next six months 2023, by destination
• Share of Europeans planning to travel domestically or in Europe 2023
• Europeans planning domestic or European trips in the next six months 2023, by age
• Europeans planning leisure domestic or European trips 2023, by trip type
• European travelers' favorite destinations for their next European trip 2023
• Number of tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2012-2022
• Number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2011-2022
• Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028
• Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028, by region
• Share of hotel market sales in Europe 2017-2028, by channel
• Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment
• Market capitalization of leading travel and leisure companies in Europe 2024
• Travel and tourism revenue in Europe 2018-2028, by segment
• Number of users of package holidays in Europe 2019-2028
• Number of users of hotels in Europe 2019-2028
• Number of users of vacation rentals in Europe 2019-2028
• Revenue of travel and tourism market in selected countries worldwide 2023

Other statistics that may interest you Travel and tourism in Europe

• Basic Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals worldwide 2019-2022, by subregion
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Europe 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by type
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Europe 2019-2022, by tourist type
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism: share of GDP in the EU-27 and the UK 2019-2022, by country
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Europe 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Leading European countries in the Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021

Inbound tourism

• Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals in Europe 2006-2023
• Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals in Europe 2010-2022, by region
• Premium Statistic European countries with the highest number of inbound tourist arrivals 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Monthly number of inbound tourist arrivals in Europe 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic Monthly change in tourist arrivals in Europe 2020-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic International tourist arrival growth in European countries 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic International tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022

Domestic tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourist trips in EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021
• Basic Statistic Number of domestic arrivals in tourist accommodation in the EU 2011-2022
• Basic Statistic Domestic tourism spending in Europe 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Domestic tourism spending in EU-27 countries and the UK 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Share of Europeans planning to take a domestic summer trip 2023, by country

Outbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic Outbound visitor growth in Europe 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic Number of outbound trips from EU-27 countries and the UK 2018-2021
• Premium Statistic European countries with the highest outbound tourism expenditure 2019-2022

European travelers

• Premium Statistic Travel intentions of Europeans in the next six months 2023, by destination
• Premium Statistic Share of Europeans planning to travel domestically or in Europe 2023
• Premium Statistic Europeans planning domestic or European trips in the next six months 2023, by age
• Premium Statistic Europeans planning leisure domestic or European trips 2023, by trip type
• Premium Statistic European travelers' favorite destinations for their next European trip 2023

Accommodation

• Basic Statistic Number of tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2012-2022
• Basic Statistic Number of overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments in the EU 2011-2022
• Premium Statistic Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Hotel market revenue in Europe 2017-2028, by region
• Premium Statistic Share of hotel market sales in Europe 2017-2028, by channel

Travel companies

• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment
• Premium Statistic Market capitalization of leading travel and leisure companies in Europe 2024
• Premium Statistic Leading airlines in Europe based on passenger numbers 2022
• Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue in Europe 2018-2028, by segment
• Premium Statistic Number of users of package holidays in Europe 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Number of users of hotels in Europe 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Number of users of vacation rentals in Europe 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Revenue of travel and tourism market in selected countries worldwide 2023

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• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals by land Myanmar 2010-2019
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• Premium Statistic Italy: number of international tourist arrivals 2015, by country of origin
• Premium Statistic Italy: number of international tourist arrivals 2015, by continent of origin
• Premium Statistic Italy: tourist arrivals in Lecce 2009-2015
• Premium Statistic Italy: share of international tourist arrivals 2015, by continent of origin
• Premium Statistic Number of international visitor arrivals from the Philippines to Indonesia 2014-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of international visitor arrivals from Australia to Indonesia 2014-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of international visitor arrivals from Singapore to Indonesia 2014-2023
• Basic Statistic Arrivals of non-Australian citizens from overseas destinations to Australia 2018-2021
• Basic Statistic TRAVELSAT satisfaction index concerning reception in regions in France 2015

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• Italy: number of international tourist arrivals 2015, by continent of origin
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• Italy: share of international tourist arrivals 2015, by continent of origin
• Number of international visitor arrivals from the Philippines to Indonesia 2014-2023
• Number of international visitor arrivals from Australia to Indonesia 2014-2023
• Number of international visitor arrivals from Singapore to Indonesia 2014-2023
• Arrivals of non-Australian citizens from overseas destinations to Australia 2018-2021
• TRAVELSAT satisfaction index concerning reception in regions in France 2015

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Tourism on Track for Full Recovery as New Data Shows Strong Start to 2023

• All Regions

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.

New Data from UNWTO: What We've Learned

The second UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year shows that the sector's swift recovery has continued into 2023. It shows that:

• Overall, international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023
• An estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same period of 2022.
• Tourism has continued to show its resilience. Revised data for 2022 shows over 960 million tourists travelling internationally last year, meaning two-thirds (66%) of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered.

Recovery by Region in Q1 2023:

• The Middle East saw the strongest performance as the only region exceeding 2019 arrivals (+15%) and the first to recover pre-pandemic numbers in a full quarter.
• Europe reached 90% of pre-pandemic levels, driven by strong intra-regional demand.
• Africa reached 88% and the Americas about 85% of 2019 levels
• Asia and the Pacific accelerated its recovery with  54% of pre-pandemic levels, but this upward trend is set to accelerate now that most destinations, particularly China , have re-opened.

In many places, we are close to or even above pre-pandemic levels of arrivals

The UNWTO data also analyses 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.

What it Means:

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: "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."

International tourism receipts grew back to hit the USD1 trillion mark in 2022, growing 50% in real terms compared to 2021, driven by the important rebound in international travel. International visitor spending reached 64% of pre-pandemic levels (-36% compared to 2019, measured in real terms). By regions, Europe enjoyed the best results in 2022 with nearly USD 550 billion in tourism receipts (EUR 520 billion), or 87% of pre-pandemic levels. Africa recovered 75% of its pre-pandemic receipts, the Middle East 70% and the Americas 68%. Due to prolonged border shutdowns, Asian destinations earned about 28%.

International tourism receipts: Percentage of 2019 levels recovered in 2022(%) *

International tourist arrivals: percentage of 2019 levels recovered in q1 2023 (%)*, looking ahead: what's in store.

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.

International Tourist Arrivals, World and Regions

Related links.

• Download the News Release in PDF
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer - EXCERPT Volume 21 • Issue 2 • May 2023
• World Tourism Barometer (PPT version)
• The UNWTO Tourism Data Dashboard
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer

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