Europe and the Americas Drive Tourism Recovery
In the first five months of the year, international travel reached approximately 250 million arrivals. This level is more than three times higher than the same period in 2021, indicating a robust rebound from the pandemic and marking about 46% of pre-pandemic activity in 2019, according to the World Tourism Organization. The data shows May alone saw international passenger numbers surge, with Europe leading the charge in 2022.
Global tourism has continued to show strong and steady signs of recovery, despite ongoing economic and geopolitical headwinds. The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer highlights a solid upturn in early 2022, with nearly 250 million international arrivals logged in the January–May window. This figure represents a return to almost half of the 2019 levels, far above the 77 million arrivals recorded in the same period of 2021.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili emphasized that the rebound is welcome but cautioned that the remainder of 2022 would need careful management in light of economic challenges and geopolitical tensions that could affect the sector. The overall trajectory remains positive, yet vigilance is advised as the year progresses.
Europe and America Lead Recovery
Europe again shows a dramatic rise, with international arrivals in the region more than quadrupling compared with the first five months of 2021, driven by strong domestic demand and the removal of travel restrictions across many countries. April’s results were especially strong, boosted by the Easter period, with Europe recording near-record activity.
Americas also posted substantial gains, with arrivals more than doubling when comparing to 2021. However, the rebound is read against weak 2021 figures, and 2019 levels remain unmet by a sizable margin in both regions. Other areas mirror this pattern, with the Middle East and Africa posting notable increases but still below 2019 benchmarks, while Asia and the Pacific show a different pace, with many destinations still limited by ongoing restrictions.
Within sub-regions, recovery varies. Some areas in the Caribbean and Central America rebounded strongly, reaching 70% to 80% of pre-pandemic activity, followed by Southern Mediterranean Europe and Western and Northern Europe. A number of destinations even surpassed 2019 levels, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten, Moldova, Albania, Honduras, and Puerto Rico.
Tourist Spending on the Rise
The growth in tourist expenditures aligns with the overall recovery. UNWTO notes that international spending by tourists from major markets such as France, Germany, Italy, and the United States remains between 70% and 85% of pre-pandemic levels. Spending by India, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar has already surpassed 2019 levels.
Destinations are also reporting higher international tourism revenues as more countries recover to their pre-pandemic baselines. Moldova, Serbia, Seychelles, Romania, North Macedonia, Saint Lucia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Pakistan, Sudan, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Mexico, and Croatia, along with Portugal, have reached or exceeded those levels.
Strong demand during the northern hemisphere summer is expected to reinforce these gains, particularly as more destinations ease remaining travel restrictions. By late July, a total of 62 destinations reported no flight restrictions, with 39 of them in Europe, highlighting renewed confidence in air travel and tourism as restrictions continue to ease worldwide.
ICAO data indicate a modest reduction in global international air capacity in 2022, projected at 20% to 25% below 2019 levels. The hospitality sector shows resilience, with hotel occupancy improving and rates reaching about two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels in June. Yet UNWTO cautions that stronger-than-expected demand could create workforce and operational pressures, while factors such as the war in Ukraine, inflation, higher interest rates, and fears of a slowdown pose potential risks to the recovery.
Positive Forecasts
UNWTO’s May 2022 outlook suggested that international arrivals could reach between 55% and 70% of pre-pandemic levels for 2022. The actual path will depend on evolving travel restrictions, inflation trends, and broader economic conditions, including energy prices and geopolitical developments related to the Ukraine conflict, health dynamics of the pandemic, and other global uncertainties.
Emerging factors such as staff shortages, airport congestion, and flight delays might temper growth, according to UNWTO. Regional projections indicate Europe and the Americas are positioned for the strongest results in 2022, while Asia-Pacific could lag due to stricter travel policies. Europe might reach 65% to 80% of 2019 levels in 2022, with the Americas tracking at roughly 63% to 76% of those levels, depending on conditions.
In Africa and the Middle East, arrivals could range from 50% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, while Asia and the Pacific may remain around 30% at best due to continued restrictions. These projections reflect a cautious yet optimistic path as global travel adapts to the evolving landscape.