Global international tourism receipts 2006-2022

Global international tourism receipts rose by approximately 73 percent in 2022 over the previous year, following a dramatic decline with the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite the sharp annual increase, international tourism receipts worldwide stayed below pre-pandemic levels, amounting to roughly 1.07 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022.

COVID-19 impact on international tourism worldwide

As a result of the pandemic, international tourist arrivals worldwide reached around 407 million in 2020, the lowest figure recorded since 1989. While this figure more than doubled in 2022, it did not catch up yet with the peak in visitors reported in 2019. In Europe - the most visited global region by international travelers - inbound arrivals were 20 percent lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP

When looking at the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP, the United States and China stood out in the global picture, both before and after the impact of the pandemic. In total, the travel and tourism industries in the U.S. contributed more than two trillion U.S. dollars in 2022, while China placed second in the global ranking with around 580 billion U.S. dollars.