A Short-Lived Revenge: Travelers Are Back But Will Be Spending Less
Although the sheer number of tourists may near pre-pandemic levels in 2023, multiple reports show mounting economic concerns curbing ambitions.
Visitors frolic on a beach in Boracay, the Philippines, in 2022.
Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/BloombergThe year 2022 saw international travel by more than 900 million tourists, 63% of the level in 2019, before the pandemic struck. Global tourism this year should improve considerably to reach approximately 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the tourism recovery outlook issued by the United Nations World Tourism Organization on Jan. 17. But with increased costs and global economic uncertainty, a return to the road won’t necessarily mean the industry is out of the red.
“Economic factors may influence how people travel in 2023 and UNWTO expects demand for domestic and regional travel to remain strong and help drive the sector’s wider recovery,” said Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili in a release.