International tourist arrivals (overnight stays) increased by 4 percent, according to the World Tourism Barometer, as tourist activity increased in most destinations around the world. There were about 1.52bn international tourist arrivals worldwide in 2025. This is about 60m more than in 2024. Until Covid, the average growth rate of international tourist arrivals was 5 percent.
The United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) has noted that tourist arrivals have increased despite high inflation and geopolitical tensions. “The continued revival of destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, the good performance of major source markets, expansion of air connectivity, visa facilitation, etc. have contributed to the increase in international tourist arrivals,” says UN Tourism’s analysis.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Sheikha Al-Nuwais said that this growth in tourist arrivals is expected to continue in 2026, as the global economy recovers and destinations that were not yet at pre-pandemic levels are expected to recover. If the Asia-Pacific region continues to recover and geopolitical tensions do not escalate, tourist arrivals are expected to grow by about 4 percent in 2026. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico are also expected to contribute to further international travel.
In addition to the overall increase in tourist arrivals, regionally, there has been an increase in tourist arrivals. Asia and the Pacific welcomed 331m tourists in 2025, an increase of 6 percent. However, this is still 9 percent less than in 2019. North-East Asia saw a 13 percent increase, while South Asia regained pre-pandemic levels.
Africa welcomed 8.1m international tourist arrivals in 2025, an 8 percent increase from the previous year. North Africa saw a significant 11 percent increase. The Middle East region grew by 3 percent in 2025, reaching 39 percent above pre-pandemic levels. The region is expected to welcome nearly 100m international tourist arrivals. According to the World Tourism Barometer, Europe, the world’s largest destination, welcomed 793m international tourist arrivals in 2025, up 4 percent from 2024 and 6 percent from 2019. Western Europe (5 percent) and Southern Mediterranean Europe (3 percent) performed well. Central and Eastern Europe, with a 6 percent increase, was still 9 percent below 2019. The Americas region welcomed 218m tourist arrivals in 2025, up 1 percent.
According to preliminary estimates, international tourism revenue has reached US$ 1.9trn, which is 5 percent more than in 2024. Including passenger transport, total tourism export revenue is estimated to reach US$ 2.2trn.
Nepal’s tourism promotion in Thailand, a major tourism source market in Southeast Asia, is becoming stronger. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has effectively presented the diversity and potential of Nepali tourism by successfully participating in the 31st Thai International Travel Fair (TITF) 2026 held in Bangkok.
The board, in collaboration with Nepal Airlines and 11 reputable travel and trekking companies of Nepal, promoted tourism through the ‘Nepal Pavilion’ at the four-day tourism fair organized at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from 22 to 25 Jan 2026. The participating companies provided first-hand information on adventure, cultural, spiritual and nature-based tourism products.
Daily direct flights between Thailand and Nepal and more than 20 weekly flights have facilitated tourism exchanges between the two countries. The board says that this air access has played an important role in increasing interest in Nepal’s tourism in the Thai market. During the fair, Lumbini, the Himalayan region, heritage cities, trekking routes, adventure and spiritual travel products attracted Thai tourists. The board said that the fair provided an opportunity to inspire potential travelers to visit Nepal through direct dialogue with tourism professionals.
Along with tourism promotion, TITF 2026 also became an effective platform for business-to-business (B2B) networking. The participating Nepali companies met with representatives of the Thai travel trade, tour operators and media to establish new business relationships and discuss the possibilities of future collaboration. The board believes that Nepal’s presence at TITF 2026 has further strengthened Nepal’s tourism image in the Thai market, strengthened partnerships for long-term tourism growth, and played a role in taking Nepal’s destination identity in Southeast Asia to new heights
