Post-pandemic tourism rebound sets new trends

First to the figures, and unsurprisingly, those latest UNWTO findings concertina from region to region. Asia Pacific, where countries like Japan and Australia were some of the slowest to reopen their borders, is experiencing the slowest recovery globally at just 61% — but those numbers are expected to rebound rapidly as the year ends.

Africa has experienced a 92% bounce back, North America is at 87%, while Europe has seen one of the most successful recoveries, with 91% of pre-covid arrivals all buoyed by huge numbers of Europeans holidaying along with a rebounding US market.

Those European figures have also seen unprecedented shape-shifting caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Once Europe’s eighth most-visited country, Ukraine’s tourist industry has collapsed while tourism powerhouse Russia saw its inbound numbers fall to just 4%. That number is clawing back and in an attempt to salvage its industry, Russia announced a new fast-track visa from this August which is now open to 55 nations, including EU members.

You’d imagine (and hope) there’d be a few takers from Europe but the new markets are filling the hotel rooms from St Petersburg to Sochi. In fact, Russia’s number-one source of inbound tourism is a country which wasn’t even in their top 10 before the war. Yes, it’s China.

While all continents are playing catch up, there is one region which has been enjoying the greatest success of all: The Middle East. The Gulf is the only region in the world which is experiencing an increase in tourism compared to before the pandemic with a huge 120% recovery stat. It all reflects the area’s exponential development in recent years with factors from the Fifa World Cup in Qatar to the emergence of Dubai as an influencer safe haven during the covid era, drawing millions of visitors to the sun-scorched spots.

Even Saudi Arabia is playing the PR game, investing in Lionel Messi as their vacation mascot to spearhead a campaign to make tourism the new white oil in Saudi Arabia. Just this week, a €1bn hospitality school opened in its capital, Riyadh, signalling bold ambitions to become a major international tourism player, beyond pilgrimages to Mecca, within years rather than decades.

However, as tourism grows, so too does an increasing global awareness of over-tourism and measures to offer a more sustainable model for future inbound numbered.

This week, Venice became the first city in the world to announce an entry charge for visitors: A €5 tourism tax is hoped to curb its colossal tourism numbers alongside the city’s cruise ship ban which was announced last year.

Tourism rates are accelerating like never before and from black spots like Venice to emerging destinations like Saudi Arabia, we can all expect to see those places on our Instagram timelines to change like never before over the next decade.