global tourism data

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Global tourism industry - statistics & facts

What are the leading global tourism destinations, digitalization of the global tourism industry, how important is sustainable tourism, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP worldwide 2019-2034

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023

Global leisure travel spend 2019-2023

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Leading global travel markets by travel and tourism contribution to GDP 2019-2023

Travel and tourism employment worldwide 2019-2034

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region

Further recommended statistics

• Basic Statistic Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP worldwide 2019-2034
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2034
• Basic Statistic Leading global travel markets by travel and tourism contribution to GDP 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic Global leisure travel spend 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Global business travel spending 2001-2024
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 1950-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide 2005-2023, by region
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism employment worldwide 2019-2034

Total contribution of travel and tourism to gross domestic product (GDP) worldwide in 2019 and 2023, with a forecast for 2024 and 2034 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2034

Share of travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP worldwide in 2019 and 2023, with a forecast for 2024 and 2034

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in leading travel markets worldwide in 2019 and 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leisure tourism spending worldwide from 2019 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Global business travel spending 2001-2024

Expenditure of business tourists worldwide from 2001 to 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 1950 to 2023 (in millions)

Number of international tourist arrivals worldwide from 2005 to 2023, by region (in millions)

Number of travel and tourism jobs worldwide from 2019 to 2023, with a forecast for 2024 and 2034 (in millions)

• Premium Statistic Global hotel and resort industry market size worldwide 2022-2023
• Premium Statistic Most valuable hotel brands worldwide 2023, by brand value
• Basic Statistic Leading hotel companies worldwide 2023, by number of properties
• Premium Statistic Number of hotels in the construction pipeline worldwide 2024
• Premium Statistic Number of hotel rooms in the construction pipeline worldwide 2024
• Premium Statistic Countries with the most hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide 2024

Global hotel and resort industry market size worldwide 2022-2023

Market size of the hotel and resort industry worldwide in 2022 and 2023 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Most valuable hotel brands worldwide 2023, by brand value

Leading hotel brands based on brand value worldwide in 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leading hotel companies worldwide 2023, by number of properties

Leading hotel companies worldwide as of June 2023, by number of properties

Number of hotels in the construction pipeline worldwide 2024

Number of hotels in the construction pipeline worldwide as of the first quarter of 2024

Number of hotel rooms in the construction pipeline worldwide 2024

Number of hotel rooms in the construction pipeline worldwide as of the first quarter of 2024

Countries with the most hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide 2024

Countries with the highest number of hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide as of the first quarter of 2024

• Premium Statistic Airports with the most international air passenger traffic worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Market value of selected airlines worldwide 2024
• Premium Statistic Global passenger rail users forecast 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Daily ridership of bus rapid transit systems worldwide by region 2023
• Premium Statistic Number of users of car rentals worldwide 2020-2029
• Premium Statistic Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023
• Premium Statistic Carbon footprint of international tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Airports with the most international air passenger traffic worldwide 2023

Leading airports for international air passenger traffic in 2023 (in million international passengers)

Market value of selected airlines worldwide 2024

Market value of selected airlines worldwide as of May 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Global passenger rail users forecast 2017-2028

Worldwide number of passenger rail users from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast through 2028 (in billion users)

Daily ridership of bus rapid transit systems worldwide by region 2023

Number of daily passengers using bus rapid transit (BRT) systems as of April 2023, by region

Number of users of car rentals worldwide 2020-2029

Number of users of car rentals worldwide from 2020 to 2029 (in millions)

Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023

Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023 (in million)

Carbon footprint of international tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Transport-related emissions from international tourist arrivals worldwide in 2005 and 2016, with a forecast for 2030, by mode of transport (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)

Attractions

• Premium Statistic Most visited museums worldwide 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2023
• Basic Statistic Monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list 2023, by type
• Basic Statistic Selected countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2024

Most visited museums worldwide 2019-2023

Museums with the highest attendance worldwide from 2019 to 2023 (in millions)

Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2023

Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide 2023, by attendance (in millions)

Monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list 2023, by type

Number of monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list as of September 2023, by type

Selected countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2024

Number of Michelin-starred restaurants in selected countries and territories worldwide as of August 2024

Online travel market

• Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023
• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/Revenue ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment
• Premium Statistic Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028

Online travel market size worldwide from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast until 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2023

Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide in 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023

Number of aggregated downloads of selected leading online travel agency apps worldwide in 2023 (in millions)

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Estimated EV/Revenue ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to revenue (EV/Revenue) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Selected trends

• Premium Statistic Share of tech investments by travel and mobility corporations worldwide 2018-2024
• Premium Statistic Use of mobile devices to plan travel with an AI chatbot worldwide 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2024
• Premium Statistic Reasons for traveling sustainably worldwide 2024
• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023

Share of tech investments by travel and mobility corporations worldwide 2018-2024

Distribution of tech investment deals by travel and mobility corporations worldwide between 2018 and 2024, by area of investment

Use of mobile devices to plan travel with an AI chatbot worldwide 2023, by country

Share of travelers who used a mobile device to plan or research travel with an AI chatbot worldwide as of October 2023, by country

Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2024

Share of travelers that believe sustainable travel is important worldwide in 2024

Reasons for traveling sustainably worldwide 2024

Factors that inspire eco-friendly travel worldwide as of February 2024

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023

Nights and experiences booked with Airbnb from 2017 to 2023 (in millions)

• Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2020-2029, by segment
• Premium Statistic Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2019-2029
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2020-2029, by segment

Revenue of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2020 to 2029, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2019-2029

Revenue share of sales channels of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2019 to 2029

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Further reports

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International tourist trips

What you should know about this indicator.

• When an individual visits a country multiple times within a year, each visit is counted as a separate arrival.
• Similarly, if a person travels to multiple countries during a single trip, their arrival in each country is recorded individually.
• As a result, the number of arrivals does not necessarily reflect the number of individuals traveling, as one person can generate multiple arrivals.
• Note that before 2006, the US counted same-day trips from Canada only. After 2006, day trips from Mexico were also included.

Sources and processing

This data is based on the following sources, unwto – 145 key tourism statistics.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) collects data from countries through annual questionnaires that follow the International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics (IRTS 2008) standard, a framework approved by the United Nations. The data covers various aspects of tourism, such as inbound tourism (including arrivals by region, main purpose, and mode of transport, as well as accommodation and tourism expenditure in the country), domestic Tourism (including trips and accommodation), outbound tourism (including departures and tourism expenditure in other countries), tourism industries (such as accommodation in hotels and similar establishments), and employment (including the number of employees in tourism industries).

How we process data at Our World in Data

All data and visualizations on Our World in Data rely on data sourced from one or several original data providers. Preparing this original data involves several processing steps. Depending on the data, this can include standardizing country names and world region definitions, converting units, calculating derived indicators such as per capita measures, as well as adding or adapting metadata such as the name or the description given to an indicator.

At the link below you can find a detailed description of the structure of our data pipeline, including links to all the code used to prepare data across Our World in Data.

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Tourism Watch

Tourism watch quarterly report: q1 2024.

Tourism nears a full recovery

• Global Overview: In the first quarter of 2024, tourism arrivals grew 20 percent compared to 2023, boosted by improvements in air connectivity, visa facilitation, and decreasing airfares as well as a continuing post-pandemic recovery. Tourism contributed an estimated 3 percent to global GDP in 2023, reaching pre-pandemic levels for the first time. Travel prospects remain promising, with a full recovery expected this year despite macroeconomic, geopolitical, and climate-related headwinds.
• Regional Overview: The East Asia Pacific region continues to drive global growth as it catches up from a slow pandemic recovery. All regions have experienced double-digit year-on-year growth in estimated aviation passenger arrivals other than Africa East, which registered a 7 percent y/y increase. This includes The Middle East and North Africa, where overall growth remains strong amidst an ongoing conflict.
•   Special Policy Insert: Applying a Circular Economy (CE) approach to the tourism sector can help mitigate tourism’s environmental impacts, such as increased waste, and shortages of water and power. This insert showcases tools and examples for incorporating CE into the tourism sector, including into World Bank projects.

🔽  Download the Tourism Watch Report  🔽

      First Quarter 2024

Tourism Watch – a product of the Tourism Group within the Markets, Competition and Technology Unit of the World Bank – provides up-to-date data from an array of sources along with analysis of recent tourism developments.

About the Tourism Watch series

The Tourism Watch is a quarterly report produced by the World Bank which monitors global and regional tourism sector performance, outlook, and highlights policies aimed at enhancing the sector’s economic, social and environmental outcomes for developing economies and destinations. The series relies on real-time aviation data, official tourism statistics, consumer search trends, broader economic indicators, and other key data sources to provide a perspective on how tourism is affected by and contributing to global developments.

Past editions

Fourth Quarter 2023

Third Quarter 2023

Second Quarter 2023

Tourism & Competitiveness

Publications

Destination Management Handbook: A Guide to the Planning and Implementation of Destination Management

Blue Tourism in Islands and Small Tourism-Dependent Coastal States: Tools and Recovery Strategies

Resilient Tourism: Competitiveness in the Face of Disasters

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• Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)
• Member States in Asia and the Pacific
• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OBSERVATORIES (INSTO)

Travel demand continued to show remarkable resilience and sustained recovery, amid economic and geopolitical challenges. An estimated 700 million tourists travelled internationally from January to July 2023, 43% higher than in 2022 although 16% less compared to 2019.

International tourism is experiencing a rapid recovery in Asia and the Pacific where arrivals climbed to 61% of pre-pandemic levels this period after the reopening of many destinations and source markets earlier this year. The reopening of China and other Asian markets is expected to continue boosting travel in the region and to other parts of the world.

According to the UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker , both international air capacity and passenger demand recovered about 84% of pre-pandemic levels through June 2023. However, the extreme weather-related events that occurred over recent months as well as the critical challenges of managing increasing tourism flows underline the need to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient sector.

Read more on the UNWTO Tourism Barometer (September 2023 excerpt) here .

About the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer

The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer is a publication of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) that monitors short-term tourism trends regularly to provide global tourism stakeholders with up-to-date analysis of international tourism. The information is updated several times a year and includes an analysis of the latest data on tourism destinations (inbound tourism) and source markets (outbound tourism). The Barometer also includes three times a year Confidence Index based on the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts survey, which provides an evaluation of recent performance and short-term prospects for international tourism.

Source: UNWTO Press Release Barometer September 19th, 2023 (Madrid)

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Regional Support Office in Asia and the Pacific (RSOAP)

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Economic Impact Research

• In 2023, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed 9.1% to the global GDP; an increase of 23.2% from 2022 and only 4.1% below the 2019 level.
• In 2023, there were 27 million new jobs, representing a 9.1% increase compared to 2022, and only 1.4% below the 2019 level.
• Domestic visitor spending rose by 18.1% in 2023, surpassing the 2019 level.
• International visitor spending registered a 33.1% jump in 2023 but remained 14.4% below the 2019 total.

Click here for links to the different economy/country and regional reports

Why conduct research?

From the outset, our Members realised that hard economic facts were needed to help governments and policymakers truly understand the potential of Travel & Tourism. Measuring the size and growth of Travel & Tourism and its contribution to society, therefore, plays a vital part in underpinning WTTC’s work.

What research does WTTC carry out?

Each year, WTTC and Oxford Economics produce reports covering the economic contribution of our sector in 185 countries, for 26 economic and geographic regions, and for more than 70 cities. We also benchmark Travel & Tourism against other economic sectors and analyse the impact of government policies affecting the sector such as jobs and visa facilitation.

Visit our Research Hub via the button below to find all our Economic Impact Reports, as well as other reports on Travel and Tourism. 

The Business Year

Global Tourism in 2024

By TBY | Sep 27, 2024

Image credit: Shutterstock / Bumble Dee

The tourism sector has come a long way since the deep freeze of COVID-19.

A United Nations World Tourism Agency (UNWTO) report indicates that international arrivals had reached 96% of 2019 figures in January-July of 2024; in contrast, travel had slumped 75% in 2020.

Typically, domestic travel rebounded from the 19 pandemic faster than international travel, and despite an initial spike in the latter, the sector expects a return to pre-pandemic conditions, with domestic travel claiming 70% of spending by 2030.

According to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, recovery from Pandemic blues has been greatest in Europe, which in January to July of 2024 scaled 99% of pre-pandemic numbers, followed by the Middle East, up 26% on its 2019 data. Asia and the Pacific, due to their delayed reopening, saw 82% recovery.

And according to the McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2024 study, domestic travel is likely to grow 3% annually to 19 billion lodging nights per year by 2030.

International travel is expected to scale its historical average of nine billion nights. In consequence, travel spending is also on an uptrend, with traveler outlays in 2024 estimated at USD8.6 trillion, accounting for close to 10% of the year’s global GDP.

The world’s top ten destination countries – including for domestic travel – (the US, Spain, China, France, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Italy, Thailand, Japan, and India) account for 45% of total travel spending.

Sterling Performance Set to Shake up the Rankings

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) 2024 Economic Impact Trends Report, a guide-stone for the industry, confirms the U.S. as the world’s preeminent Travel & Tourism market.

Notably, around 70% percent of all trips originating in the US remain within its borders. The sector generated a staggering—and record-breaking—USD2.36 trillion for the domestic economy in 2023.

That’s almost double its nearest rival, China, which raked in a GDP contribution of USD1.3 trillion last year, regardless of a more stubborn coronavirus experience, rising 135.8% YoY.

By economic contribution, the top-five countries were completed by Germany, third on USD487.6 billion, followed by Japan (5th in 2022) on USD297 billion. The United Kingdom came in fifth, mopping up USD295.2 billion. While India rose to 8th from 10th the WTTC forecasts it rising to fourth position over the coming decade.

Formidable annual GDP growth of 6% speaks well for the future of that source market, and the sector projects annual growth in travel spend of 95 to 2030.

Nonetheless, China is seen as becoming the greatest Travel & Tourism market. China’s domestic travel market is set for 12% annual growth on its way to overtaking the US to first place by 2030. A whopping 30% of the global hotel construction pipeline is in China, largely oriented towards the luxury market—twice that of the US.

More Numbers Worth Visiting

According to the WTTC report, some of the most popular destinations, including Saudi Arabia up 91.3% on the 2019 print, Türkiye (+38.2%), Kenya (+33.3%), Colombia (+29.1%) and Egypt (+22.9%) will capitalize on the pronounced rise in spending headed towards to pre-pandemic levels.

Visitor spending, also on the up, is forecast to be appreciating by over 15% to USD1.9 trillion, with domestic tourists projected to shell out a record-setting USD5.4 trillion, up 10.3% on 2019.

The Basics of Sustainable Appeal

Many countries keen to increase the breadth of their appeal among source markets plan to achieve this without duplicating the foibles familiar common to primary destinations, such as crass commercialization and overcrowding. As the WTTC predicted a record-breaking 2024, it stressed its prioritizing of, ‘…sustainability and inclusivity, ensuring that this growth benefits everyone and protects our planet for future generations.’

Indeed, in August 2024, the WTTC noted that 5,000 hotels in over 80 countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific had adopted its Hotel Sustainability Basics program. The program’s 12-step criteria form a benchmark of credibility, now adopted by major hotel brands such as Louvre Hotels Group, Choice Hotels, Radisson Hotel Group, and Accor. In one example, the WTTC has partnered with the Japan Tourism Board’s Japan Sustainable Tourism Initiative (JSTi) to vigorously launch a pilot program nationwide.

India is also due to make inroads into adoption.

U.N. tourism agency data shows that around 790 million tourists traveled internationally in the January to July period 2024 period, pointing to an 11% year-on-year rise. Meanwhile, vast investments in fixed assets continue worldwide.

One might, therefore, agree with the U.N.’s Tourism Confidence Index’s bullish expectation for the full-year performance. That said, currently overheated geopolitics and economic austerity may yet bring showers to the sector’s parade.

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The leading source of labour statistics

• Country profiles
• Standards & methods

Data by region

For data producers, publications, selected topics.

• © ILO/UNESCO
• September 27, 2024
• Profiles , Sector

Tracking the rebound in tourism employment

As we mark World Tourism Day, attention shifts to the millions of workers driving the sector’s recovery. From hotels to restaurants and beyond, tourism jobs are bouncing back—but the pace of recovery is uneven across regions. Reliable data is essential to understand these trends. This is where we come in. ILOSTAT provides critical insights into how tourism employment is evolving across the globe. Complementing this, a new indicator from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), aimed at supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), will help fill remaining data gaps, enabling policymakers to better understand the labour market in this sector and shape informed decisions.

A sector on the rebound

Tourism took one of the hardest hits during the COVID-19 pandemic , with job losses felt worldwide. Now, as the industry regains momentum , we’re seeing employment rise again in hotels, restaurants, and related sectors. However, the pace and scale of this recovery differ significantly between regions. And while data for hotels and restaurants is more widely available, capturing employment figures for the entire tourism sector remains a challenge in many countries.

Filling data gaps

Currently there is no international statistical definition of tourism. In ILOSTAT, the identification of persons in the tourism sector is done using the  International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities  (ISIC rev. 4) at the 4-digit level. The definition encompasses employment in accommodation for visitors, food and beverage services, passenger transportation, recreation and entertainment, and travel services (see methodology box for details).

But the current approach has its limits. We are unable to capture tourism employment in countries that do not provide household survey microdata to the ILO , or when they do, if it lacks the required level of detail. This leaves major gaps in our understanding of the labour market in the tourism sector in some parts of the world, including in countries where tourism is a major driver of jobs and economic development such as  China.

To improve tracking of tourism employment, UN Tourism is introducing a new SDG indicator. Using ILOSTAT data to supplement its own sources, UN Tourism aims to fill some of the current data gaps and provide a clearer picture of the sector’s workforce worldwide.

Employment and decent work trends

More than 270 million workers, or approximately 8.2 percent of the global workforce, are employed in the tourism sector 1 See methodology box , according to ILO estimates. Unsurprisingly, popular holiday destinations tend to have a higher concentration of workers in tourism. The highest shares are found in the Cook Islands, the Bahamas, and Seychelles, where tourism accounts for between 20 and 28 per cent of total employment.

The sector is known to be labour-intensive and fast-evolving . It is a major driver of economic growth, enterprise development and job creation, particularly for women, youth, migrant workers and local communities. In recent decades, it has experienced continued expansion and diversification to become one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors globally. Nevertheless, according to the 2022 Conclusions of the Technical meeting on COVID-19 and sustainable recovery in the tourism sector , the sector continues to face decent work deficits, such as the prevalence of informality, variable and long working hours, low wages, limited access to social protection, gender-based discrimination, poor occupational safety and health (OSH) practices and weak regulation, enforcement and organization of labour.

Looking ahead

Tourism is a critical driver of economic development, especially in regions heavily reliant on the sector. But to ensure this growth benefits workers, it is crucial to promote the sustainable development of the sector with decent work and full and productive employment in line with the ILO Guidelines on decent work and socially responsible tourism and SDG targets 8, 12 and 14. As the sector evolves, so too must the policies that govern it, ensuring that any future growth is inclusive, fair, and beneficial to all .

Between ILOSTAT and the new SDG indicator on tourism employment, policymakers will have better tools at their disposal to track, analyse, and improve conditions in this vital sector.

Methodology

An international statistical definition for the tourism sector does not currently exist. For ILOSTAT, employment in the tourism sector is defined using the  International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities  (ISIC Rev. 4) using the following 4-digit classes: 

For more details, see the Worker and Sector Profiles (PROFILES) database description .

Users should also note that UN Tourism, in partnership with leading countries, the ILO and the United Nations Statistics Division, has created a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder Expert Group on Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism to lead the development of a  Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism . The framework aims to support a more harmonized and integrated measurement of the impacts and dependencies of tourism on the economy, society and the environment, at both the national and sub-national levels. The framework may result in a statistical definition for tourism-related employment which differs from the above. 

Country-level figures on ILOSTAT are produced using data from the ILO’s Harmonized Microdata collection , which mainly includes labour force and other household surveys. Although microdata are available for 177 countries and territories, tourism sector data can only be generated for about half due to the limited availability of sufficiently detailed ISIC categories.

Global estimates on ILOSTAT are based on actual and imputed data for 189 countries. For more detailed information, refer to the document Global and regional estimates of employment in selected economic activities and/or occupations .

UN Tourism will provide additional data on tourism employment using its own sources. Data and information on their methodology is forthcoming. 

Marie-Claire Sodergren

Marie-Claire is a Senior Economist in the Data Production and Analysis Unit of the ILO Department of Statistics. She oversees data collection through the annual ILOSTAT questionnaire and is a key ILO focal point for SDG reporting. She spearheaded the development of the ILOSTAT portal and currently oversees content creation and serves as editor-in-chief for the blog. Previously, she held key roles at the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, including Supervisory Economist and acting Chief of the Division of International Labor Comparisons.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Tourism statistics database.

• 145 Key Tourism Statistics
• Economic Contribution and the SDGs

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145 key tourism statistics

Data are collected from countries by UN Tourism through a series of yearly questionnaires that are in line with the International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics (IRTS 2008 )  standard led by UN Tourism and approved by the United Nations.

The latest update took place in 31 January 2024.

Access the data by clicking on the sections below:

Inbound Tourism

Arrivals (in thousands) 2022 or latest available year

Total Arrivals in country over time Please select a country on the map above to display data below

Arrivals in country by region of origin *

Arrivals in country by Transportation Mode

Arrivals in country by Main Purpose of trip

Accommodation

Accommodation: Guests and Overnights Please select series on top 2022 or latest available year

Total Guests in country

Total Overnight stays in country

Inbound Expenditure

Inbound Expenditure (in million USD) 2022 or latest available year

Total Inbound Expenditure in country

Inbound Expenditure in country by type of expenditure

Total arrivals

Total international arrivals. Data disaggregated by: Overnight, Same-day (of which, cruise passengers)

Expenditure

Total inbound tourism expenditure, disaggregated by: Travel, Passenger Transport

Total arrivals by region

Total international arrivals, disaggregated by region of origin. Regions include: Africa, Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Middle East, South Asia

Total arrivals by Main Purpose

Total international arrivals, disaggregated by Main Purpose of the trip. Main Purpose categories include: Personal (holiday and vacation, other personal), Business and professional

Total arrivals by Mode of Transport

Total international arrivals, disaggregated by Mode of Transport of the trip. Modes of Transport include: Air, Water, Land (railway, road, other)

Total arrivals by form of organization

Total international arrivals, disaggregated by form of organization. Forms of organization include: Package tour, Other

Accommodation: Guests and Overnights

Total number of Guests and Nights spent in accommodation establishments. Data disaggregated by: All establishments, Hotels and similar establishments.

Expenditure by Main Purpose

Total inbound travel expenditure, disaggregated by Main Purpose of the trip. Main Purpose categories include: Personal, Business and professional

Other indicators

Other relevant indicators related to inbound tourism. These include: Average size of party, Average length of stay, Average expenditure per day

Domestic Tourism

Domestic Trips (in thousands) 2022 or latest available year

Domestic Trips over time: Select Country on top

Domestic Trips vs International Arrivals: Select Type of Trip / Arrival on top

Domestic Tourism in Accommodation 2022 or latest available year

Domestic Tourism in Accommodation over time:

Variable displayed: Overnights Select Country on top

Variable displayed: Guests Select Country on top

Domestic vs Inbound Tourism in Accommodation

Overnights in Hotels and similar Select Country on top

Overnights in All Establishments Select Country on top

Guests in Hotels and similar Select Country on top

Guests in All establishments Select Country on top

Total trips

Total domestic tourism trips, disaggregated by: Overnight, Same-day

Total trips by Main Purpose

Total domestic tourism trips, disaggregated by Main Purpose of trip. Main Purpose categories include: Personal (holiday and vacation, other personal), Business and professional

Total trips by Mode of Transport

Total domestic tourism trips, disaggregated by Main Mode of Transport. Modes of Transport include: Air, Water, Land (railway, road, other).

Total trips by form of organization

Total domestic tourism trips, disaggregated by form of organization of the trip. Forms of organization include: Package tour, Other

Total number of Guests and Nights spent in accommodation establishments by domestic tourists. Data disaggregated by: All establishments, Hotels and similar establishments

Other relevant indicators related to domestic tourism. These include: Average size of party, Average length of stay, Average expenditure per day

Outbound Tourism

Departures (in thousands) 2022 or latest available year

Departures over time

• Overnights Visitors (tourists)
• Same-Day Visitors (excursionists)
• Total (Tourists + Excursionists)

Outbound Expenditure

Tourism outbound expenditure (in million USD) 2022 or latest available year

Oubound expenditure over time Select a Country on top

Outbound expenditure by type of expenditure Select Country on top

Total Inbound vs Outbound Tourism Expenditure Select Country on top

Total departures

Total international departures. Data disaggregated by: Overnight, Same-day

Total outbound tourism expenditure, disaggregated by: Travel, Passenger Transport

Total outbound travel expenditure, disaggregated by Main Purpose of the trip. Main Purpose categories include: Personal, Business and professional

Other relevant indicators related to outbound tourism. These include: Average length of stay, Average expenditure per day

Tourism Industries

2022 or latest available year

Total number of Bed-places Select Country on top

Total number of Hotels and similar establishments Select Country on top

Total number of Rooms in Hotels and similar Select Country on top

Occupation rate by bed-places and rooms Select Country on top

Average length of stay in hotels and similar Select Country on the top

Accommodation in hotels and similar establihsments

Monetary data related to accommodation activities. Indicators include: output, intermediate consumption, Gross Value Added, compensation of employees, Gross Fixed Capital Formation.

Non-monetary data related to accommodation activities. Indicators include: total number of establishments, total number of rooms, total number of bed-places.

Travel Agencies and other reservation services

Monetary data related to travel agencies and other reservation services activity. Indicators include: output, intermediate consumption, Gross Value Added, compensation of employees, Gross Fixed Capital Formation.

Non-monetary data related to travel agencies and other reservation services activity. Indicators include: total domestic trips , total inbound trips and total outbound trips.

Number of establishments by type

Total number of tourism establishments in the country, by type. Types of establishment include: Accommodation, Food and Beverage, Passenger transportation, Travel Agencies and reservation services, Other

Other relevant indicators related to performance of tourism industries. Indicators include: Occupancy rate (rooms, bed-places), Average length of stay, Available capacity

Total employees in tourism industries 2022 or latest available year Totals may include different industries depending on the reporting country

Total employees by tourism industries Dark red line indicates reported total Select Country on the top to display data

Number employees by tourism industry

Total number of employees, disaggregated by tourism industry. Tourism industries include: Accommodation, Food and Beverage, Passenger transportation, Travel Agencies and reservation services, Other

Number of jobs by status

Total number of jobs, disaggregated by: Employees, Self-employed

Number of full-time equivalent jobs

Total full-time equivalent jobs, as defined by the TSA:RMF 2008. Data disaggregated by status (employees, self-employed) and gender.

Macroeconomic Indicators

Based on additional data collected from several international sources, a number of macroeconomic indicators are compiled:

International Tourism Flows

Estimated international arrivals flows for 2018.

These regional and sub-regional flows visualizations are based on the following data reported by countries:

Arrivals: Border Statistics

Total arrivals of non-resident tourists and visitors at national borders, disaggregated by country of residence and citizenship

Arrivals: Statistics on accommodation establishments

Total arrivals of non-resident tourists in hotels and similar establishments and all types of accommodation, disaggregated by country of residence and citizenship

Overnight stays

Total overnight stays (total nights) of non-resident tourists in hotels and similar establishments and all types of accommodation, by country of origin

Detailed information on the metadata, country notes and methodologies used in the compilation of these data can be found in the Methodological Notes .

Publications on tourism statistics

UN Tourism´s flagship annual publications in the field of tourism statistics are the Compendium of Tourism Statistics and the Yearbook of Tourism Statistics . They contain the main data and indicators compiled by UN Tourism in e-book format (PDF).

Compendium of Tourism Statistics

The Compendium provides statistical data and indicators on inbound, outbound and domestic tourism, as well as on the number and types of tourism industries, the number of employees by tourism industries, and macroeconomic indicators related to international tourism.

Please click here to see the Index of indicators and basic data that form the Compendium. 

The 2023 edition presents data for 194 countries from 2017 to 2021, with methodological notes in English, French and Spanish.

Yearbook of Tourism Statistics

Understanding, for each country, where its inbound tourism is generated is essential for analyzing international tourism flows and devising marketing strategies, such as those related to the positioning of national markets abroad. The Yearbook focuses on data related to inbound tourism (total arrivals and overnight stays), broken down by country of origin.

The 2023 edition presents data for 187 countries from 2017 to 2021, with methodological notes in English, French and Spanish.

Country Fact Sheets

Country Factsheets include graphics on inbound tourism, domestic tourism, outbound tourism, tourism expenditure, tourism industries, tourism employment, Tourism Direct GDP and other macroeconomic indicators.

To download the latest Country Fact Sheet, please click on the country on the map below.