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MADRID, Jan 22 (Bernama-AA) -- The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) announced Tuesday that 1.4 billion people travelled internationally in 2024, marking a significant recovery for global tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the sector's worst crisis in 2020-2021.
Anadolu Agency reported the Madrid-based UNWTO said this represents an 11 per cent increase which refers to approximately 140 million more travelers compared to the previous year, bringing international tourism figures back to pre-pandemic levels.
The largest growth in visitor numbers compared to 2019 was observed in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
The Middle East saw 95 million visitors, reflecting a 32 per cent increase from 2019, Africa recorded 74 million visitors, marking a 7 per cent rise, and Europe welcomed 747 million visitors, showing a 1 per cent growth.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili noted that global tourism completed its post-pandemic recovery in 2024, with many destinations surpassing 2019 tourist arrivals and revenue levels.
He added that strong demand is expected to drive further growth in 2025.
-- BERNAMA-AA
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