International visitor arrivals more than doubled in 2022 over the previous year and should resemble pre-pandemic levels in 2023, according to the UN's tourism organisation, as a result of the relaxation of travel restrictions, particularly in China.

The World Tourism Organization, based in Madrid, said that there were 917 million international tourist arrivals last year, up from 455 million in 2021, calling it "stronger than expected results."

The UN organisation projects that by 2023, the number of international arrivals could increase by between 80 and 95 percent, even if it was still only 63 per cent of the level seen in 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

"Looking ahead, international tourism is set to consolidate its recovery in 2023, backed by pent-up demand, particularly from Asia and the Pacific as destinations and markets open up," the report said.

The number of visitors to Europe, the most popular travel destination in the world, reached 585 million last year, or over 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

However, due to tighter pandemic-related restrictions, the Pacific area only achieved 23 per cent of pre-pandemic visitation levels while Africa and the Americas only reached roughly 65 per cent.

Source WION

BDST: 1015 HRS, JAN 18, 2023
MSK