Change in international tourist arrivals worldwide 2020-2021, by sub-region
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic set unprecedented challenges for the travel and tourism sector. After a sharp drop in the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide in the first year of the health crisis, this scenario slightly improved in 2021. However, figures remained way below pre-pandemic levels. When looking at the percentage change in inbound arrivals worldwide by sub-region, South East Asia recorded the sharpest drops. In that area, inbound tourist arrivals declined by nearly 98 percent in 2021 compared to 2019. Over the same period, Oceania reported the second-highest decline, with international arrivals decreasing by roughly 96 percent.
