Europe and Africa recorded the strongest tourism performance during the period, each posting a 4% increase in international arrivals. Europe reinforced its position as the world’s leading tourist destination by welcoming more than 130 million international visitors, while Africa maintained positive momentum thanks to the strong performance of North African destinations and several Sub-Saharan markets. Asia and the Pacific registered 3% growth, although the region remains below its pre-pandemic levels, while the Americas expanded by 2%, with uneven results across its subregions. In contrast, the Middle East experienced a 14% decline in arrivals as the regional conflict severely affected air connectivity and traveler confidence.
Despite these challenges, several destinations achieved outstanding results during the first months of the year. Paraguay, New Caledonia, El Salvador, Mongolia, Palau, Uzbekistan, Tonga, Anguilla, Ireland and Brunei ranked among the world’s fastest-growing destinations, highlighting the continued redistribution of travel demand toward markets offering greater connectivity and stability. At the same time, numerous economies reported significant increases in tourism revenues, further strengthening the sector’s contribution to economic recovery.
The aviation industry also reflected this recovery, although with growing signs of caution. International air passenger traffic increased by 4% during the first quarter, while global air capacity expanded by 2%. However, March saw a sharp decline in operations by Middle Eastern carriers, forcing airlines to reroute numerous international flights and shifting passenger traffic toward European, African and Asian carriers. Meanwhile, global hotel occupancy reached 64% during the month, with Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific recording the highest occupancy rates.
Industry experts identify the conflict in the Middle East, together with rising transportation and accommodation costs, as the principal risks facing international tourism this year. Higher oil and jet fuel prices have increased airlines’ operating costs and placed upward pressure on airfares, factors that could influence travelers’ decisions and reshape tourism demand in the months ahead.
Despite these uncertainties, the outlook for global tourism remains cautiously optimistic. The latest confidence indicators continue to point to positive expectations for the Northern Hemisphere’s peak travel season, although forecasts are more conservative than those made earlier this year. Experts estimate that international tourism growth in 2026 could finish between one and two percentage points below initial projections, depending on the duration and scope of the geopolitical crisis. Even so, the resilience demonstrated by the tourism industry once again confirms its capacity to adapt rapidly to an increasingly complex international environment while maintaining its role as one of the world’s leading drivers of economic activity.
