According to estimates by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), global tourism could fully recover from the Covid-19 shock by 2024. There is still plenty of room for tourism to recover across Asia.
Impressions from Egypt and Europe
Egypt welcomed a record number of tourists in 2023 despite the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa announced that 14.9 million tourists visited Egypt in 2023, surpassing the previous record of 14.7 million visitors in 2010. Egypt's tourism revenue reached a record high of $15 billion in 2023, surpassing the previous records of $12.5 billion in 2010 and $13 billion in 2019.
Issa attributed Egypt’s record tourist arrivals to efforts to expand hotel capacity, explore new markets and encourage Arab tourists. In addition, the Egyptian government has introduced many measures to ensure the safety and health of tourists as well as promote the country’s rich cultural and natural heritage.
Europe is also expected to see positive tourism results in 2023, with more than 2.6 billion overnight stays in hotels between January and October 2023, with international arrivals increasing by 12.5%. According to Eurostat data, the three countries with the highest tourism growth rates in Europe in 2023 are Albania at 55.6%, Malta at 21% and Cyprus at 20.7%. In March 2024, Romania and Bulgaria will join the Schengen travel-free zone, and the hosting of the Summer Olympics in Paris in July and August is expected to attract a large number of tourists to Europe.
Prospects and risks
According to UNWTO, tourist arrivals in 2023 have recovered to 96% of 2019 levels in Africa, 94% in Europe and 90% in the Americas. The corresponding figure for the Asia-Pacific region is 65%, with the Maldives and Fiji being popular destinations. Recovery has been slow in Northeast Asia, including Japan and China, although tourist demand has returned to around 55% of 2019 levels. Government data shows that Japan welcomed 25.07 million tourists in 2023, around 80% of 2019 levels, as a weak yen made the country attractive to foreign tourists.
“There is still significant room for tourism to recover across Asia,” UNWTO said, noting that in addition to improvements in Asian markets, pent-up demand and increased air connectivity will help the world achieve a full tourism recovery earlier than 2024.
According to UNWTO, China's inbound and outbound tourism recovery is expected to accelerate this year, with Beijing granting visa exemptions to citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia for one year, from December 2023.
However, the agency noted that geopolitical risks pose significant challenges to a sustained recovery in the tourism industry. The war between Israel and Hamas has added to the risks, raising concerns that the conflict will spill over into the wider Middle East. Globally, tourism revenues are expected to reach $1.4 trillion in 2023, about 93% of 2019 levels.
KHANH MINH
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