Global tourism in 2025: Europe leads, all regions record growth

According to the latest data from the World Tourism Barometer report by UN Tourism for 2025, global international tourist arrivals rose by approximately 5% compared to the previous year, with more than 1.1 billion travelers traveling between January and September 2025. Europe remains the largest tourist region with approximately 625 million arrivals (a 4% increase), while Africa recorded the fastest growth at 10%. The Americas achieved a more moderate increase of about 2–3%, confirming continued strong but regionally uneven demand.

This quarterly report from UN Tourism analyzes the latest data on destinations and source markets, including the Expert Confidence Index, which assesses the sector's short-term prospects. Results through September show that the number of international trips is 3% higher than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. Although high inflation and geopolitical tensions are affecting the market, the third quarter saw strong growth of 4%, driven by a successful summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.

The Asia-Pacific region continues its recovery with 8% growth, while individual countries such as Brazil (+45%), Vietnam (+21%), and Japan (+18%) achieved exceptional results. Along with the increase in passenger numbers, strong spending is being recorded, especially in Japan, Egypt, and Morocco, as well as increased tourism spending by citizens of the USA, France, and Germany. These trends confirm the annual growth forecast of 3% to 5%, with the caveat that high travel prices remain the main risk factor.

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Source and photo: UN Tourism