Translated with AI
The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide in the first half of 2025 reached nearly 690 million, an increase of 5%, or 33 million, compared to the same period last year, according to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).
According to UN Tourism, the largest increase in tourist flow was recorded in Africa – a 12% increase compared to the first half of 2024. In North African countries, growth was 14%, and in sub-Saharan Africa, 11%.
Europe welcomed approximately 340 million tourists in the first six months of the year, 4% more than a year ago and 7% higher than the pre-pandemic 2019 figures. The main destinations—France and Spain—showed a 5% increase. In Central and Eastern Europe, tourist flow increased by 9%, but remains 11% below pre-pandemic levels.
In the Americas, arrivals grew by 3%, but results varied across regions. South America saw a 14% increase, Central America saw a 2% increase, while North America saw no growth due to a decline in tourist arrivals to the US and Canada. The Caribbean also saw a decline, partly due to reduced demand from the US.
In the Middle East, international travel decreased by 4% compared to the same period in 2024, but compared to 2019, there was an increase of 29%, which is one of the highest rates among macro-regions worldwide.
In the Asia-Pacific region, tourist arrivals increased by 11% in the first half of the year, reaching 92% of pre-pandemic levels. Northeast Asia saw record growth of 20% compared to the same period last year. Among the countries leading in tourist arrival growth, UN Tourism highlights Japan and Vietnam (+21%), Morocco (+19%), South Korea (+15%), Malaysia and Indonesia (+9%), as well as Hong Kong, Mexico, and the Netherlands (+7%).
The organization noted that the recovery of international tourism continues to accelerate, but growth rates remain uneven across regions due to economic and geopolitical factors.
