2019 became the 10th year in a row when numbers of international tourist grew consistently. Last year, 1.5 billion international tourists travelled the world, some 4 percent more than in 2018.
The UNWTO expects the tendency persist in 2020 with the estimated growth rate between 3 and 4 percent. Among the factors which will inspire more people to travel internationally major events, fairs and festivals are named, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and the Expo 2020 in Dubai.
The results of 2019 could have been even more impressive yet many "advanced economies and particularly Europe and Asia and the Pacific" were affected by "uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the collapse of Thomas Cook, geopolitical and social tensions and the global economic slowdown."
While rising numbers of inbound tourists are a welcome prize for many economies, they also bring with them problems to cope with. Overtourism has become a real scourge for many destinations worldwide – from protesting Barcelona residents to islands closing for rehabilitation, the world has still to learn how to travel responsibly and sustainably.
UNWTO Reports Record International Tourist Numbers in 2019
News in Asia
A record number of international tourists was recorded in 2019, according to the data of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) unveiled at a press conference in Madrid this Monday.