MADRID - International tourist arrivals rose by 11 percent in 2024, with 1.4 billion people traveling internationally, according to the World Tourism Barometer published by UN Tourism on Tuesday.

The data, which is published on the eve of the FITUR international tourism exhibition in Madrid, means that numbers have recovered to 99 percent of levels seen in 2019 just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili welcomed the results. He said: "In 2024, global tourism completed its recovery from the pandemic and, in many places, tourist arrivals and especially earnings are already higher than in 2019."

Growth is expected to continue throughout 2025, he said, "driven by strong demand contributing to the socio-economic development of both mature and emerging destinations."

Madrid-based UN Tourism reports that Asia and the Pacific region saw 316 million international travelers in 2024, 33 percent (78 million people) higher than in 2023, and 87 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

While Europe saw 747 million international arrivals in 2024, one percent up on 2019 and 5 percent higher than in 2023, the Middle East witnessed the biggest growth compared to 2019, with a 32 percent rise in arrivals to 95 million.

Africa also performed strongly, with a 12 percent increase in international tourists compared to 2023.

One reason for the growth is that international air capacity and air traffic returned to pre-pandemic levels over the previous 12 months, UN Tourism said.

The rise in the number of travelers was also reflected in spending, with receipts reaching $1.60 trillion in 2024, a 4 percent increase from 2019 and 3 percent higher than in 2023.

The outlook for the future also seems bright. UN Tourism predicts a growth between 3-5 percent in 2025 compared with 2024, and a "continued recovery of Asia and the Pacific and solid growth in most other regions" should global economic conditions remain stable and geopolitical conflicts not escalate.