Global tourism is booming: Europe and Africa are on the rise!

Global tourism is booming: Europe and Africa are on the rise!

International tourism shows positive developments in the first half of 2025. According to information from Hotel inside The number of arrivals of international travelers increased by 5 percent compared to the same period last year. Nearly 690 million tourists took international trips between January and June 2025, representing an increase of about 4 percent compared to pre-pandemic 2019 numbers. The UN tourism organization highlights the dynamism and resilience of the market.

Growth is particularly notable in Africa, which recorded the strongest growth at +12 percent, with North Africa at +14 percent and sub-Saharan Africa at +11 percent standing out. Europe can welcome almost 340 million international tourists, an increase of 4 percent compared to 2024 and 7 percent compared to 2019. In contrast, Central and Eastern Europe remains 11 percent below pre-crisis levels, despite recording a recovery of +9 percent.

Regional differences in international tourism

The Northeast Asia region recorded a remarkable growth of 20 percent, while the entire Asia-Pacific region achieved an increase of 11 percent, reaching 92 percent of pre-crisis levels. In America, however, there is a mixed picture: While South America is recording growth of 14 percent, North America and the Caribbean are stagnating. However, a 4 percent decline in the Middle East leaves the region 29 percent behind 2019 figures.

Tourism revenues in countries such as Japan (+18 percent), France (+9 percent) and Spain (+8 percent) show the strong economic importance of this sector. Despite the positive developments, the industry faces challenges such as high transport and accommodation costs as well as geopolitical tensions.

Although international tourism is growing overall, there are worrying declines in the Americas. According to a report by Day ticket US tourism experienced a significant decline in international visitors in the summer of 2025. International tourist spending fell by $12.5 billion, with significant economic consequences.

Problems in US tourism

The number of international arrivals to the US fell 9.4 percent compared to pre-pandemic numbers. The main reason for this decline is the introduction of a new “visa integrity fee” of $250 for travelers outside the visa waiver program, which makes travel to America more expensive. Tighter immigration and border controls since the beginning of 2025 are also contributing to increasing uncertainty and reducing trust in the USA as a travel destination.

Particularly affected are border regions, historic sites and metropolises, which are experiencing funding losses and declines in demand. The decline in international arrivals from Canada, the top source country for U.S. tourism, is 37 percent for road border crossings and 26 percent for air travel. The decline in visitor numbers from Europe is also alarming, with a decline of 19 percent from Denmark, 10 percent from Germany and 6.6 percent from France.

US authorities are also reporting double-digit declines in countries such as Hong Kong, Indonesia and the Philippines. The economic consequences are serious: the loss of $2.1 billion and around 14,000 jobs in Canada show the severe impact on the industry. Dealers in hard-hit cities like New York and Washington D.C. report falling hotel occupancy and declines in demand.

At least domestic tourism remains stable, with a 2 percent increase in domestic flights. To mitigate the negative impact of international slumps, authorities and companies have begun launching marketing campaigns to target local audiences. Like the World Travel & Tourism Council and the U.S. Travel Association note, however, a political course correction is necessary to regain confidence in US tourism.