According to the latest Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism, international tourism showed only a 0.4% growth in the first half of 2026. Approximately 690 million tourists traveled abroad, but global demand was undermined by rising travel costs, geopolitical tensions, and the conflict in the Middle East.
Global tourism growth slowed to 0.4% in the first half of 2026
In the first quarter, the number of international arrivals increased by 2%, but in the second quarter, there was a decline of 1%. A drop in arrivals was recorded in April (down 3%) and June (down 3%), with the overall global slowdown being caused by a decline in Western Europe by 6% and in Southeast Asia by 5%.
The African continent showed the strongest regional growth, where international arrivals grew by 4% in the first six months. This was followed by Europe with a growth of 3% and the Americas with an increase of 2%. Asia and the Pacific region noted a growth of 1%, but still lag behind 2019 levels by 11%. Specifically, Northeast Asia increased by 3%, while South and Southeast Asia showed declines of 5% and 1% respectively.
The Middle East (West Asia) recorded the sharpest decline, as arrivals fell by 22% amid the regional conflict. UN Tourism reported that in May and June, the weakening of air traffic disruptions after the ceasefire allowed for the restoration of some routes, although the recovery remained uneven.
The organization lowered its forecast for international tourism growth in 2026 to 1–2%, reducing the initial estimate of 3–4%. UN Tourism representatives note that travelers are increasingly looking for better deals and may prefer closer or domestic destinations due to persistently high prices and uncertainty.