Rising tourism. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK The latest figures from the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism, former UNTWO) indicate continued impressive growth in the industry, with a 5% increase in the number of international tourists in the first half of 2025, compared to the previous year. In total, almost 690 million international departures were recorded between January and June, about 33 million more than in the same period in 2024.
The increase comes on the heels of 2024, when tourism volumes fully recovered for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, with 1.5 billion travelers crossing borders worldwide. The data also indicates that the industry is already surpassing 2019 figures in several key metrics.
The continent with the sharpest jump was Africa, with 12% more tourists than in the first half of 2024. Europe, the world's largest tourist destination, received almost 340 million tourists, an increase of 4% compared to the previous year and 7% above 2019.
The Americas saw a more moderate increase of 3%, while Asia saw a significant improvement with an 11% jump, although still 8% below the 2019 level.
Japan and Vietnam, which jumped by 21%, stood out, as did Morocco, Mexico, and the Netherlands. Incidentally, the Middle East saw a decline, in line with geopolitical tensions in the region.
Vietnam. Photo: Shutterstock
Revenue figures indicate impressive increases in key tourist destinations: Japan (+18%), the United Kingdom (+13%), France, and Spain (both +8%). Expenditures on trips abroad also increased significantly in China, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.
In 2024, global tourism revenues reached a record $1.734 trillion, 14% above the 2019 level.
The UN also notes that, according to IATA data, aircraft traffic and global capacity increased by 7%. Hotels recorded global occupancy of 69% in June and 71% in July, almost unchanged from last year, which signals stable demand even in the hot season.
Data: UN TOURISM
Alongside the growth data, a survey by UN Tourism experts indicates that flight and accommodation prices remain the main challengee in the industry, as they remain significantly higher than the levels they fell to before the coronavirus pandemic.
Additionally, geopolitical tensions, declining customer confidence, rising tariffs, and stricter border-crossing requirements could impact demand later this year.
The annual forecast remains the same: a 3% to 5% increase in the number of international tourists by the end of 2025.