Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2024
The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide increased significantly in 2024 over the previous year, nearly catching up with pre-pandemic levels. After declining with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to roughly 406 million, the lowest figure recorded since 1989, global inbound tourist arrivals exceeded 1.4 billion in 2024, being just 1.3 percent lower than in 2019.
Europe is the most popular destination for international tourism
Europe is the global region that attracts the highest number of international tourists. In 2024, inbound tourist arrivals in Europe exceeded pre-pandemic levels, totaling almost 750 million. Within this region, Southern and Mediterranean Europe was the most popular area for international tourism, recording over 300 million arrivals in 2024.
How big is the global travel and tourism market?
According to Statista Mobility Market Insights, the global travel and tourism market's revenue – including hotels, package holidays, vacation rentals, and camping – amounted to nearly 880 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, recovering from the impact of COVID-19. Breaking down travel and tourism's revenue worldwide by sales channels reveals that the online channel generated over two-thirds of the global transactions' value that year.
