UNWTO data points to full recovery...

The Middle East saw the strongest performance as the only region exceeding 2019 arrivals

The second UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of the year shows that the sector's recovery has continued into 2023. In fact, globally, twice as many people travelled during Q1 2023 than in Q1 2022.

The report shows that worldwide international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023 with 235 million tourists travelling internationally in the first three months.

Revised data for 2022 also shows more than 960 million tourists travelled internationally last year, meaning two-thirds (66%) of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered.

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.

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.

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UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "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."

For more information, visit www.unwto.org/unwto-world-tourism-barometer-data