tourism 2023

Global tourism to recover from pandemic by 2023, post 10-year growth spurt

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Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan will visit the United States on May 9, a Turkish security official said on Friday, setting the stage for his first White House meeting during the Biden Administration.

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Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Global tourism industry - statistics & facts

What are the leading global tourism destinations, digitalization of the global tourism industry, how important is sustainable tourism, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP worldwide 2019-2033

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023

Global leisure travel spend 2019-2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Leading global travel markets by travel and tourism contribution to GDP 2019-2022

Travel and tourism employment worldwide 2019-2033

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• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region
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Total contribution of travel and tourism to gross domestic product (GDP) worldwide in 2019 and 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2033 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

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• Premium Statistic Global hotel and resort industry market size worldwide 2013-2023
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Number of users of car rentals worldwide from 2019 to 2028 (in millions)

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Attractions

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Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

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Selected trends

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Global Tourism Outlook in 2023

Global travel will show resilience in the face of the approaching economic downturn signalled by the pace of forward bookings and positive survey data. A continuing recovery in business travel, as well as some remaining built-up savings and pent-up demand, will support the ongoing travel recovery.

Nevertheless, the recession in the advanced economies will limit the pace of recovery in 2023. The US economy is set for a mild recession in 2023 but this will be countered by the strong dollar and accumulated savings. A looming recession and higher than previously anticipated inflation across Europe will erode earnings and weigh on consumer spending and tourism demand.

Staff shortages will continue to increase labour costs for the industry which will have to be, at least partially, passed on to consumers. Additional costs for travel will also feed through from higher energy prices and especially jet fuel prices.

Mass outbound tourism from China is expected to resume in the second half of 2023, although significant uncertainty remains around this timing.

The resumption of Chinese travel will contribute to the recovery of long-haul travel market share in 2023. The absence of Chinese outbound demand beyond this would be a major blow for the travel & tourism industry and for destinations worldwide.

There remains strong pent-up demand for cruise operations supported by bookings data which suggest that increased capacity will be filled. However, there will be increased deployment challenges and pricing pressure for cruise lines.

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December 2023 International Inbound Visitor Spending

International visitors spent $19.5 billion in the united states in december 2023.

Data recently released by the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in December 2023 :

• International visitors spent $19.5 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States, an increase of more than 22% compared to December 2022 and the highest level of monthly spending since December 2019 (before the onset of reported COVID-19 cases). In fact, monthly U.S. travel and tourism exports are within $1.4 billion of their highwater mark set back in March 2018 when international visitors spent an appreciable $20.8 billion experiencing the United States.  
• Conversely, Americans spent $18.9 billion traveling abroad during December, yielding a balance of trade surplus of $544 million and the sixth consecutive month during which the United States enjoyed a balance of trade surplus for travel and tourism-related goods and services.  
• International visitors have spent more than $212.2 billion on U.S. travel and tourism-related goods and services year to date (January through December 2023), an increase of more than 28% when compared 2022; international visitors have injected, on average, more than $581 million a day into the U.S. economy during 2023.  
• U.S. Travel and tourism exports accounted for 22.4% of U.S. services exports during December 2023 and 7.5% of all U.S. exports, goods and services alike.  

Composition of Monthly Spending (Travel Exports)

• Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling in the United States totaled $11.3 billion during December 2023 (compared to $8.8 billion in December 2022), an increase of 28% when compared to the previous year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the United States, and other items incidental to foreign travel.  
• Travel receipts accounted for 58% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December 2023.  
• Fares received by U.S. carriers from international visitors totaled $3.4 billion in December 2023 (compared to $2.7 billion in the previous year), up 24% when compared to December 2022. These receipts represent expenditures by foreign residents on international flights provided by U.S. air carriers.  
• Passenger fare receipts accounted for 17% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December 2023.  
• Expenditures for educational and health-related tourism, along with all expenditures by border, seasonal, and other short-term workers in the United States totaled $4.8 billion in December 2023 (compared to $4.4 billion in December 2022), an increase of 11% when compared to the previous year.  
• Medical tourism, education, and short-term worker expenditures accounted for 25% of total U.S. travel and tourism exports in December 2023.

Interested in an interactive data visualization of these statistics? Please visit our Monthly Travel Trade Monitor for a more comprehensive and customizable experience.

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World Economic Impact Report 2023

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‍ The report includes: 

• Absolute and relative contributions of T&T to GDP and employment, international and domestic spending 
• Data on leisure and business spending, capital investment, government spending and outbound spending 
• Data comparisons across every year from 2013 to 2023 
• Detailed data tables for the years 2017-2022, plus forecasts for 2023 and the decade to 2033  

Purchase of this report also provides access to two supporting papers: Methodology and Data Sources and Estimation Techniques. 

Who Are We?

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of Travel & Tourism. We promote the sustainable and inclusive growth of the sector, working with governments and international institutions to create and recover jobs, drive exports and generate prosperity.  

For over 30 years, WTTC has been the voice of the global Travel & Tourism sector with our members consisting of Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world’s leading private sector Travel & Tourism businesses. 

Our Research Hub aims to make our world leading research accessible to more companies across the sector to help drive growth, develop sustainable practices and promote the importance of Travel & Tourism to global economies. 

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• Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)
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• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OBSERVATORIES (INSTO)

According to new data from UNWTO , more than 900 million tourists traveled internationally in 2022 – double the number recorded in 2021.

Tourism recovery is foreseen to continue throughout 2023 even as the sector faces economic, health and geopolitical challenges. The recent lifting of COVID-19 related travel restrictions in China, the world’s largest outbound market in 2019, is a significant step for the recovery of the tourism sector in Asia, the Pacific, and worldwide. 

All regions enjoyed significant increases in 2022 over the previous year, and are well on their way to seeing pre-pandemic tourist arrivals.

The resumption of travel from China is likely to benefit Asian destinations in particular. However, the choice of destinations will be shaped by the availability and cost of air travel, visa regulations, and processes, as well as COVID-19-related restrictions. Current travel restrictions can be found in the UNWTO/IATA Destination Tracker .

Based on UNWTO’s scenarios for 2023, international tourist arrivals could reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels this year, with Europe and the Middle East expected to reach those levels. However, important risks remain ahead, especially economic and geopolitical.

According to the latest survey of the Panel of Experts, the challenging economic environment including high inflation and interest rates, the spike in oil and food prices, as well as the fears of a global recession, continues to be the main factor weighing on the recovery of tourism.

An excerpt of the World Tourism Barometer issue for January 2023 is available here .

And updated information on destination tourism performance can be found on UNWTO’s Recovery Tracker .

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National tourism indicators, fourth quarter 2023.

Released: 2024-03-27

$23.3 billion

Fourth quarter 2023

(quarterly change)

$17.7 billion

$5.6 billion

Tourism spending in Canada grew 2.3% in the fourth quarter of 2023, following a 0.1% decline in the third quarter. Annually, tourism spending rose 13.5% in 2023 after increasing 50.4% in 2022. Tourism gross domestic product ( GDP ) rose 2.5% in the fourth quarter of 2023 and was up 9.5% annually.

Passenger air transport (+3.8%) and accommodation services (+3.9%) were the main contributors to growth in tourism spending in the fourth quarter. Annually, passenger air transport spending (+34.0%) contributed the most to overall growth in 2023. Pre-trip expenses ( -9 .0%), such as recreational vehicles, pleasure crafts and camping equipment, was the only product category to decrease in 2023.

Chart 1  Tourism spending increases

Tourism GDP rose 2.5% in the fourth quarter, following a 0.6% decrease in the third quarter. Accommodation services (+4.1%) and transportation (+4.0%) were the main contributors to overall growth. Economy-wide GDP edged up 0.2% in the fourth quarter, and tourism's share of GDP was unchanged at 1.58% on a nominal basis.

Chart 2  Tourism and major industrial sectors, gross domestic product, fourth quarter of 2023

Tourism jobs increased 0.7% in the fourth quarter, following a 0.2% gain in the third quarter. Food and beverage services (+0.7%), non-tourism industries (+1.3%) and air transportation (+2.2%) were the largest contributors to job growth in the fourth quarter. Tourism's share of jobs increased to 3.34%, while the total number of jobs in Canada declined 0.2% in the fourth quarter.

Annually, tourism GDP rose 9.5% in 2023 with positive growth in all categories. Transportation (+25.5%) accounted for nearly half of the yearly gains. There were also positive gains across all tourism job categories in 2023, as total tourism jobs increased 9.1%.

Chart 3  Tourism gross domestic product and jobs attributable to tourism increase

Tourism spending by international visitors increases

Tourism spending by international visitors in Canada was up 3.3% in the fourth quarter, following a 1.4% increase in the third quarter. Spending on accommodation (+4.3%) and food and beverage (+4.8%) services were the main contributors to the quarter's increase.

Chart 4  Share of tourism spending in Canada by international visitors increases

Tourism spending in Canada by Canadians increases

Tourism spending in Canada by Canadians increased 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Domestic tourism spending on passenger air transport (+4.2%) was the main contributor to the rise. Many product categories such as recreation ( -1 .6%) and travel services ( -5 .2%) had declines in the fourth quarter which limited growth. Annually, domestic tourism spending increased 7.7% in 2023, as outlays on passenger air transport rose 34.1%.

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Sustainable development goals

On January 1, 2016, the world officially began implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development —the United Nations' transformative plan of action that addresses urgent global challenges over the next 15 years. The plan is based on 17 specific sustainable development goals.

The national tourism indicators are an example of how Statistics Canada supports the reporting on the global goals for sustainable development. This release will be used in helping to measure the following goal:

  Note to readers

With the fourth quarter 2023 release of the national tourism indicators, all data from the first quarter of 2020 have been revised. In addition, all volume and price estimates for tourism supply, demand and gross domestic product ( GDP ) have been updated to the 2017 (2017=100) reference year.

Growth rates for tourism spending and GDP are expressed in real terms (that is, adjusted for price changes), using reference year 2017, as well as adjusted for seasonal variations, unless otherwise indicated.

Tourism jobs data are also seasonally adjusted.

Tourism's share of economy-wide GDP is calculated from seasonally adjusted nominal values.

Tourism's share of economy-wide jobs is calculated using seasonally adjusted values.

Economy-wide GDP is obtained from Table 36-10-0449-01 . Economy-wide total number of jobs is obtained from Table 36-10-0207-01 .

For information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions .

Associated percentage changes are presented at quarterly rates unless otherwise noted.

Non-tourism industries , also referred to as other industries, are industries that would continue to exist in the absence of tourism. For example, retail trade industries, which benefit from tourism activity, would not cease to exist in the absence of tourism. Tourism GDP takes into account the production of these products purchased by tourists.

Non tourism products , also referred to as other products, are products for which a significant part of its total demand in Canada does not come from visitors, such as groceries, clothing and alcohol bought in stores.

The national tourism indicators are funded by Destination Canada.

Next release

Data on the national tourism indicators for the first quarter of 2024 will be released on June 26, 2024.

The Economic accounts statistics portal, accessible from the Subjects module of the Statistics Canada website, features an up-to-date portrait of national and provincial economies and their structure.

The Latest Developments in the Canadian Economic Accounts ( Catalogue number 13-605-X ) is available.

The User Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts ( Catalogue number 13-606-G ) is available.

The Methodological Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts ( Catalogue number 13-607-X ) is available.

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For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136 ; 514-283-8300 ; [email protected] ) or Media Relations ( [email protected] ).

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Tourism Set to Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels in Some Regions in 2023

• All Regions
• 17 Jan 2023

After stronger than expected recovery in 2022, this year could see international tourist arrivals return to pre-pandemic levels in Europe and the Middle East. Tourists are nonetheless expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel closer to home in response to the challenging economic climate.

Based on UNWTO's forward-looking scenarios for 2023, international tourist arrivals could reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels this year, depending on the extent of the economic slowdown, the ongoing recovery of travel in Asia and the Pacific and the evolution of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, among other factors.

All regions bouncing back

UNWTO anticipates a strong year for the sector even in the face of diverse challenges including the economic situation and continued geopolitical uncertainty

According to new data UNWTO, more than 900 million tourists travelled internationally in 2022 – double the number recorded in 2021 though still 63% of pre-pandemic levels. Every global region recorded notable increases in international tourist numbers. The Middle East enjoyed the strongest relative increase as arrivals climbed to 83% of pre-pandemic numbers. Europe reached nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels as it welcomed 585 million arrivals in 2022. Africa and the Americas both recovered about 65% of their pre-pandemic visitors, while Asia and the Pacific reached only 23%, due to stronger pandemic-related restrictions which have started to be removed only in recent months. The first UNWTO World Tourism Barometer of 2023 also analyses performance by region and looks at top performers in 2022 , including several destinations which have already recovered 2019 levels.

International Tourist Arrivals, World and Regions

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "A new year brings more reason for optimism for global tourism. UNWTO anticipates a strong year for the sector even in the face of diverse challenges including the economic situation and continued geopolitical uncertainty. Economic factors may influence how people travel in 2023 and UNWTO expects demand for domestic and regional travel to remain strong and help drive the sector's wider recovery."

Chinese tourists set to return

UNWTO foresees the recovery to continue throughout 2023 even as the sector faces up to economic, health and geopolitical challenges . The recent lifting of COVID-19 related travel restrictions in China , the world's largest outbound market in 2019, is a significant step for the recovery of the tourism sector in Asia and the Pacific and worldwide. In the short term, the resumption of travel from China is likely to benefit Asian destinations in particular. However, this will be shaped by the availability and cost of air travel, visa regulations and COVID-19 related restrictions in the destinations.  By mid-January a total of 32 countries had imposed specific travel restrictions related to travel from China, mostly in Asia and Europe.

At the same time, strong demand from the United States , backed by a strong US dollar, will continue to benefit destinations in the region and beyond. Europe will continue to enjoy strong travel flows from the US, partly due to a weaker euro versus the US dollar. 

Notable increases in international tourism receipts have been recorded across most destinations, in several cases higher than their growth in arrivals. This has been supported by the increase in average spending per trip due to longer periods of stay, the willingness by travelers to spend more in their destination and higher travel costs due to inflation. However, economic situation could translate into tourists adopting a more cautious attitude in 2023, with reduced spending, shorter trips and travel closer to home.  

Furthermore, continued uncertainty caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine and other mounting geopolitical tensions, as well as health challenges related to COVID-19 also represent downside risks and could weigh on tourism's recovery in the months ahead.

The latest UNWTO Confidence Index shows cautious optimism for January-April, higher than the same period in 2022. This optimism is backed by the opening up in Asia and strong spending numbers in 2022 from both traditional and emerging tourism source markets, with France, Germany and Italy as well as Qatar, India and Saudi Arabia all posting strong results.

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• UNWTO World Tourism Barometer | Volume 21 • Issue 1 • January 2023 | EXCERPT
• World Tourism Barometer (PPT version)
• UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker

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Wildwoods tourism officials report record-breaking 2023

Kimberly Redmond // March 28, 2024 //

The Wildwoods enjoyed yet another successful tourism season. - PROVIDED BY WILDWOODSNJ

• A 31% increase in visitor spending on lodging and prepared food and beverage — higher than the five-year average tourism revenues (excluding 2020 season numbers).
• A 5% uptick in spending on lodging, prepared food and beverage in 2023 over 2022, which was previously a record year.

‘Get Lost In the Woods…’

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2023 was a record-breaking year for tourism in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — VisitPITTSBURGH announced Wednesday that 2023 was a record-breaking year for tourism alongside Gov. Josh Shapiro.

The industry’s economic impact topped $6.4 billion, supported more than 38,000 jobs and booked more than 200 events.

Shapiro is encouraging the city to host one of the biggest sporting events in the nation next.

The 2026 NFL Draft would bring between 300,000 and 400,000 people to the city with an economic impact of around $130 million. This is the city’s first bid to host.

With last year’s tourism track record, the governor believes Pittsburgh is long overdue to host the big event.

Last year the city’s tourism industry made a $6.4 billion economic impact with a more than 6% increase in visitor spending, over a 5% increase in the amount of tax money generated and a nearly 7% increase in the amount of money made by tourism industry workers.

Pittsburgh tourism impact 2023:

• 6.1% increase in visitor spending

• 5.4% increase in state and local taxes generated

• 6.7% increase in labor income for the more than 38,000 jobs

Mayor Ed Gainey committed to the necessary infrastructure and public safety improvements needed to continue to grow the city’s tourism sector.

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato highlighted how far the region has come.

VisitPITTSBURGH predicts in 2024 the tourism economic impact will be $6.7 billion and bring more than 2,000 new jobs to the region.

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Governor Newsom and President Biden Visit Communities Impacted by Winter Storms

Published: Jan 19, 2023

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY – Governor Gavin Newsom today welcomed President Joe Biden as he arrived in California to visit communities impacted by recent storms and meet with first responders leading recovery efforts.

“Over the past weeks, Californians have endured some of the deadliest and most destructive storms in recent memory, but our strength, resilience, and instinct to help in times of crisis has never faltered,” said Governor Newsom. “And President Biden and his Administration have been supporting us every step of the way – and I am grateful for the President’s commitment to helping California recover.”

President Biden’s visit began with an aerial tour led by Governor Newsom on Marine One, surveying damage across Santa Clara County and Santa Cruz County. Following the tour, they visited businesses in Capitola that were impacted by the recent winter storms and met with first responders at Seacliff State Beach.

Yesterday, the Governor announced that the White House added the counties of Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara to the  Presidential Major Disaster Declaration  – with San Joaquin being  added  today. FEMA and the President also  announced  a 100% federal cost share for Categories A (debris removal) and B (emergency protective measures). Last week, President Biden also approved the Governor’s request for a  Presidential Emergency Declaration  to bolster state, local and tribal government storm response efforts.

Over the past two weeks, Governor Newsom has met with evacuated residents  in Merced County , assisted storm preparedness work  in Santa Barbara County  and surveyed storm damage  in Santa Cruz County  and  Sacramento County  with state and local officials. The Governor has proclaimed a  state of emergency statewide  and issued an  executive order  to further assist the emergency response and support impacted communities across the state.

Jordan's Rich Heritage, Tourism Treasures Leave Lasting Impression at Expo 2023 Doha

D oha, March 28 (Petra) - The International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha Qatar, hosted by Qatar for six months, drew to a close in Doha on Thursday, marking a historic milestone as the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa.

Jordan participated in the exhibition, which commenced on October 2nd. The Jordanian pavilion emerged as a focal point of interest, showcasing the nation's rich tapestry of tourism, agriculture, archeology, and heritage. Its presence served as a beacon, casting a spotlight on Jordan throughout the exhibition's duration, ultimately fostering increased tourist inflow and foreign investment interest in various sectors such as hotels, restaurants, and entertainment establishments.

Throughout the six-month expo, the Jordanian Pavilion welcomed a diverse array of visitors, including members of the Jordanian community in Qatar, as well as individuals from various Arab and foreign nationalities, alongside numerous officials and delegates from other participating countries. The pavilion attracted an estimated 90,000 visitors over the duration of the event, averaging approximately 5 visitors daily.

Participation in Expo Doha afforded Jordan a platform to showcase its investment promotion strategy for 2023-2026, highlighting the Kingdom's investment environment, its advantages, developmental regions, priority sectors, and the potential returns on investment for both public and private sector stakeholders.

The Jordanian pavilion showcased an array of iconic landmarks, monuments, and indigenous crops from across the Kingdom's diverse landscapes, alongside promoting Jordan's renowned tourist and archaeological sites.

Designed in the form of a tent, blending modernity with ancient traditions and Jordanian culture, the pavilion featured native plants such as wormwood and aloe vera, complemented by traditional artifacts including robes, lanterns, mahabish, coffee pots, handmade rugs, pillows, and tables made from sheepskins.

The Jordan Valley region, celebrated for its lush forests and towering trees including cypress, oak, pine, and acacia, stood as a cornerstone of the Jordanian Pavilion, representing the nation's agricultural wealth.

Visitors were treated to a mosaic floor from Madaba spanning 42 square meters, alongside elaborate models depicting landmarks like the Roman Theater, Petra, and the majestic hills of Wadi Rum, leaving a lasting impression of Jordan's natural beauty and architectural marvels.

Many visitors expressed that their experience at the Jordanian pavilion sparked a desire to explore Jordan firsthand. Guests had the opportunity to indulge in traditional Jordanian cuisine, notably Mansaf, a dish renowned across the Arab world.

The Jordanian pavilion at Expo Doha offered visitors a virtual journey through Jordan's most iconic tourist destinations and historical sites, capturing the essence of the kingdom's cultural heritage and natural wonders, inspiring countless individuals to plan future visits to Jordan.

//Petra// AO

28/03/2024 14:34:28