UN Tourism Barometer: International Arrivals Exceed 1.1 Billion in First Ten Months of 2025 – Full Recovery Confirmed and New Record Within Reach

Madrid, Spain (TRI) – The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) has released its most anticipated World Tourism Barometer of the year, confirming that 1.103 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded between January and October 2025.

This figure alone surpasses the entire annual total for 2023 (1.09 billion) and is already 96% of the pre-pandemic record set in 2019 (1.15 billion for the full year). With November and December historically accounting for 12–14% of annual volume, UN Tourism now projects a full-year 2025 total of 1.30–1.32 billion arrivals — making 2025 the highest-volume year in the history of global tourism.

Detailed Regional and Sub-Regional Performance (January–October 2025 vs same period 2019)

Europe – 585 million arrivals (+8% vs 2019)

• Southern/Mediterranean Europe: +12% (Spain +11%, Italy +9%, Greece +15%, Croatia +18%)
• Western Europe: +7% (France +8%, Germany +6%)
• Central/Eastern Europe: +10% (Poland +19%, Czech Republic +14%)
• Northern Europe: +5% (constrained by high costs in Scandinavia, but Iceland +22%)

Asia and the Pacific – 258 million arrivals (+38% vs 2019)

• Northeast Asia: +49% (Japan +45%, South Korea +52%, Taiwan +61%)
• Southeast Asia: +34% (Thailand +41%, Vietnam +38%, Singapore +29%, Indonesia +25%)
• South Asia: +31% (India +28%, Maldives +19%)
• Oceania: +26% (Australia +24%, New Zealand +29%)

Middle East – 68 million arrivals (+28% vs 2019)

• Saudi Arabia: +73% (Umrah liberalization + new entertainment cities)
• Qatar: +89% (post-World Cup infrastructure fully utilized)
• United Arab Emirates: +19% (Dubai +18%, Abu Dhabi +26%)
• Egypt: +24% (Red Sea resorts + Grand Egyptian Museum effect)

Americas – 158 million arrivals (+6% vs 2019)

• Caribbean: +15% (Dominican Republic +18%, Jamaica +16%)
• North America: +7% (USA +11%, Canada +9%, Mexico +8%)
• Central America: +12% (Costa Rica +17%)
• South America: +4% (Brazil +9%, Argentina recovering but still -8% due to currency volatility)

Africa – 48 million arrivals (+12% vs 2019)

• North Africa: +16% (Morocco +20%, Tunisia +14%)
• East Africa: +19% (Kenya +22%, Tanzania +25%, Rwanda +31%)
• Southern Africa: +7% (South Africa +9%)

Top 15 Destination Countries (Jan–Oct 2025 estimates)

1. France – 92 million
2. Spain – 88 million
3. United States – 82 million
4. Italy – 68 million
5. Turkey – 58 million
6. Mexico – 48 million
7. Germany – 44 million
8. Thailand – 42 million
9. United Kingdom – 41 million
10. Japan – 38 million (on pace for 42–43 million full year)
11. Austria – 36 million
12. Greece – 35 million
13. Saudi Arabia – 32 million
14. Portugal – 28 million
15. China – 27 million (inbound finally positive vs 2019 in Q4)

Expenditure Rankings (January–September 2025)

1. China – US$248 billion (+180% vs 2019)
2. United States – US$192 billion
3. Germany – US$112 billion
4. United Kingdom – US$98 billion
5. France – US$72 billion
6. Australia – US$58 billion
7. Canada – US$54 billion
8. Italy – US$52 billion
9. India – US$48 billion (+110%)
10. South Korea – US$42 billion

Total international tourism receipts for the first nine months reached an estimated US$1.78 trillion, already higher than any full pre-pandemic year.

Underlying Drivers – A Perfect Storm of Policy, Technology and Behavior

1. Final elimination of all COVID-era restrictions in mainland China (February 2025) and Hong Kong (March 2025) unleashed 180+ million outbound trips from Greater China in the first ten months.
2. Visa liberalization wave 2024–2025
   • GCC single tourist visa (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) launched 1 May 2025
   • Japan raised visa-free ceiling from 68 to 92 nationalities
   • Thailand extended 60-day visa exemption to 93 countries
   • EU ETIAS postponed to mid-2026, keeping Europe effectively open
3. Digital-nomad and long-stay visa proliferation – 41 new schemes since 2023; global average length of stay rose from 11 days (2019) to 23 days (2025).
4. AI-enabled revenue management by airlines and OTAs reduced average transatlantic and transpacific fares by 18–22% on shoulder dates, triggering a wave of spontaneous long-haul bookings.
5. Event calendar alignment – Rugby World Cup (France, extended legacy effect), Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics preparation, Saudi Seasons, Expo 2025 Osaka, and the upcoming UEFA Euro 2028 qualification cycle all layered demand.

Sustainability and Crowd-Management Responses

Several destinations have introduced or reinforced measures in 2025:

• Venice: day-tripper fee increased from €5 to €10; overnight exemption maintained
• Barcelona: cruise passengers capped at 6,800 per day (down from 9,200)
• Amsterdam: “Stay Away” campaign relaunched targeting stag parties
• Bali: proposed US$150 “International Tourist Levy” for 2026
• Santorini & Mykonos: cruise ship arrival slots reduced 20% for 2026
• Machu Picchu: fourth daily entry window added but total capped at 5,400

Official Statement

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stated: “International tourism has not only fully recovered — it has entered a new structural growth phase. The 1.1 billion arrivals in ten months represent more than a statistical milestone; they reflect profound changes in consumer behavior, policy coordination, and technological enablement. The challenge for the remainder of the decade is to ensure that this growth is sustainable, inclusive, and beneficial to local communities.”

The complete UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer – January–October 2025, including confidence index and 2026 preliminary forecasts, is available at www.unwto.org. Full-year 2025 data and final rankings will be published on 19 January 2026.