World tourism analysis 2023: key trends and data

16-06-24

According to UN Tourism, Europe continues to dominate in both tourist destinations and spending by its citizens. German, British and Italian tourists spend the most money on travel, with Europe standing out in several categories.

In 2023, Chinese tourists led global spending with approximately €183 billion, surpassing Americans who spent €114 billion. This marks a significant change, as in 2022 Americans ranked first. The Germans were in third place with 104 billion euros and the British in fourth with 102 billion euros. Canada, Italy, India, Russia and South Korea also stand out among the top tourist spending countries, with Italy moving up from tenth to seventh place.

Revenue and visitors by destination

The United States topped the tourism revenue ranking, reaching 164 billion euros in 2023. Spain followed with €86 billion, the United Kingdom with €69 billion, France with €64 billion and Italy with €52 billion. Other leading countries include the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Macau (China), India and Mexico.

France consolidated its position as the most visited country in the world in 2023, receiving 100 million foreign tourists. These figures are expected to be maintained in 2024 thanks to the Olympic Games in Paris. Spain ranked second with 85 million visitors.

Europe: the epicenter of tourism

Seven of the top ten most visited destinations in 2023 are in Europe, including Italy, Germany and Austria. This confirms Europe as the most popular region, attracting the largest number of foreign tourists worldwide.

China, despite being a traditionally popular destination, saw a significant reduction in visitor numbers due to strict entry requirements imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourists went from 65.7 million in 2019 to only 35.5 million in 2023.