International Arrivals Research Articles

NEEDS ANALYSIS: HOTEL RECEPTIONISTS’ USE OF ENGLISH

Needs analysis is critical in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) development of teaching and learning because it decides learners' goals, needs, or deficiencies in the environmental situation. Learners are often taught and led in educational practices by textbooks authored by native speakers Ministry of Education and Training (MOET, 2008). However, Vietnam received a record of over 18 million of international arrivals in 2019 arrivals (VNAT, 2022). An analysis must evaluate real-life conditions to find difficulties met when working as a hotel receptionist. This research looks at the lives of eighteen hotel receptionists in Can Tho, Vietnam. A quantitative approach is used in this research to find out in what ways hotel receptionists use their positions and the obstacles they experience on the job. The study results show that hotel receptionists employ four skills, but speaking and listening are significantly more critical in this sector. Furthermore, hotel receptionists need help with these abilities when speaking with non-native visitors. The findings imply that, besides textbook resources, educators and curriculum designers could include distinct accents from non-native English speakers into a curriculum for ESP learners. Practical markets, particularly in Asia, now have implications for real-world tourism development practices.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0225/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Exploring the Transmission Path, Influencing Factors and Risk of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport.

SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequence results collected from native COVID-19 cases who waited or saw relatives off at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport were highly consistent with the imported cases. In order to explore the routes of transmission and influencing factors that may cause the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at the airport, a field simulation experiment of aerosol diffusion was adopted based on epidemiological survey data and a detailed field investigation of airport structure and ventilation. The results showed that the inbound passengers waited for approximately 3 h in the rest area on the first level of the international arrival area (Zone E). During the period, masks were removed for eating and drinking, resulting in the viral aerosols rising from the first level to the second level with hot air. After deplaning, the inbound passengers handled the relevant procedures and passed through the corridor on the second floor. The local side wall of the corridor adopted fan coil air conditioning, combined with fresh air supply and personnel walking, resulting in airflow flowing to Zone E. After merging with diffused air containing virus aerosol from the first floor, it continued to spread upward to the connected third-layer area. There was a local suspended ceiling on the top of the third floor, but it was approximately 4 m high and connected to the corridor from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3. When the virus aerosol diffused above the Terminal 2-Terminal 3 corridor, where the temperature was low and the air diffused downward, it could cause an infection risk for people passing through the corridor. In addition, the investigation found that the exhaust pipes of the nucleic acid sampling rooms at the international arrival corridor were directly discharged outdoors without treatment. Only one exhaust pipe and poor ventilation in the bathroom in Zone E had a risk of viral aerosol diffusion. Therefore, the international arrival area should be set up alone or separated from the other areas by hard isolation to avoid the existence of communication between different areas that could cause viral aerosols to diffuse with airflow. The toilet ventilation should be increased to avoid the accumulation of viral aerosols at high concentrations. The exhaust pipes of the toilet and the nucleic acid sampling rooms should be equipped with disinfection and efficient filtration devices, and high-altitude emission should be adopted to reduce the risk of virus aerosol diffusion.

To be or not to be like Iceland? (Ontological) Politics of comparison in Greenlandic tourism development

AbstractIn this article, we introduce the concept ofpolitics of comparisonin tourism development, looking at how comparison contributes to shaping and making sense of tourism development in Greenland. Decision makers and operators in Greenland foresee tourism growth as new transatlantic airports are set to open by 2024. To navigate an uncertain tourism future, many look towards neighbouring Iceland, who experienced exponential growth in international tourism arrivals between 2010 and 2018. In this North Atlantic reflection, comparison also works as a tool to understand tourism, positioning Greenland as a potential destination and deliberating about the future of tourism in the region, while also bringing forth competing logics and trajectories of development. Thus, comparison serves to engage with the meaning and value of tourism, seeing it not only as a pillar of the economy but also as a force affecting landscapes and communities. We argue that the comparisons made by tourism actors work epistemologically – creating knowledge of ‘what is’ – as well as ontologically, forcefully interfering with and producing tourism realities.

HOW FAST WILL THE TOURIST DEMAND RECOVERY BE IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19 IN MEXICO?

Tourism is experiencing the worst crisis currently, with a fall of 73% in international arrivals worldwide. After the lockdown, it is time to analyze the recovery, but econometrics models that need historical data are obsolete. This study contributes with a survival model analysis to estimate the recovery of tourist demand amid the COVID-19 crisis. The model estimates the effect of two kinds of determinants that improve tourists’ confidence: theoretical and empirical, linked to the pandemic. Results show that prices are not statistically significant and the higher the income, the higher the probability of traveling. Job retention, promotions, ensuring the certification of health protocols, lower distance from residence to tourist destination, and social distancing will be the main driving factors for the next months. Affected salaries, new COVID-19 outbreaks, longer time to adapt to safety and hygiene protocols, and health check procedures in airports will be important determinants that will have a negative influence. Tourist demand recovery will mainly be boosted by short distances between tourists’ residences and destinations. Mexico has a latent tourist demand that will recover relatively fast.

IMPACT OF EXCHANGE RATE ON FOREIGN TOURIST DEMAND: EVIDENCE FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The tourism sector plays a critical role in many countries worldwide. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of the exchange rate on foreign tourist demand in 47 developing countries from 2005 to 2020. Unlike previous studies, our empirical data only includes low-income and low-middle-income countries for the quantitative research process. The Driscoll-Kraay standard errors method has been applied for the estimation. The result confirms that an increase in exchange rate leads to a higher number of international tourism arrivals in these countries. Therefore, if policymakers in these countries depreciate the value of their domestic currency, it will create a boosting effect on the number of foreign tourists. In addition, the result identified that the pollution, denoted by the carbon dioxide emissions, affected foreign tourist demand like an inverted U-shaped Kuznets curve. It implies that environmental pollution in developing countries has increased gradually which negatively influenced the demand of international travelers as well as the growth of the tourism sector. However, the quality of institutions and infrastructure in the host countries can have positive effects on the demand for international tourists. Finally, some policy implications are included for enhancing the tourist industry in developing countries.

TRENDS IN TOURIST FLOWS DURING THE PANDEMIC

The existence of certain cyclical fluctuations and periods of slowdown, primarily associated with the economic crisis at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, does not change the fact that the demand for tourist services in the world developed at a high rate during the analyzed period. The article analyzes according to data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), that in 2020 the number of international tourists decreased by 73%, or by 1.1 billion people. It was noted that in 2020, revenues from international tourism exports also fell by 63%, or $1.1 trillion USA. The direct contribution of tourism to the world GDP decreased by 2000 billion dollars. USA. International tourist arrivals in 2021 are shown to be down 72% or 1 billion people from 2019 and up 4% or 15 million people from 2020. A decrease in indicators of the dynamics of the development of international tourism was revealed. Due to the global economic recession and general geopolitical and social tensions in the world, as well as due to COVID-19. Negative global trends had a negative impact on tourist flows in general and the work of international travel agencies. It has been proven that the 73% drop in international tourism in 2020 was due to travel restrictions, tourists’ concerns about the pandemic situation and the global fight against the coronavirus. The trends in the development of international tourism in 2000-2021 have been studied and presented in detail. in the pre-pandemic period and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Іt has been proven that the tourism industry has suffered great losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as this pandemic has become the biggest challenge of 2020 and continues to have a negative impact not only on tourism, but also in general to intensify the economic and social crisis in the world. This is evidenced by the number of arrivals. 415 million international arrivals were registered globally in 2021, up from 400 million in 2020. After a weak first half of 2021, international tourism recovered moderately in the second half. Confirmed growth in demand in 2021 was driven by improved traveller confidence amid rapid vaccination progress and easing of entry restrictions in many destinations. The problems and opportunities that may arise in the tourism industry in the coming years have been studied.

Understanding the Psychological Well-Being of International Arrivals in a Purpose-Designed Australian COVID-19 Quarantine Facility.

Equivocal evidence suggests that mandatory supervised quarantine can negatively affect psychological well-being in some settings. It was unclear if COVID-19 supervised quarantine was associated with psychological distress in Australia. The sociodemographic characteristics associated with distress and the lived experiences of quarantine are also poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the mental well-being of international arrivals undergoing supervised COVID quarantine in a purpose designed facility in the Northern Territory, Australia. We conducted a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods study comprising of an observational cross-sectional survey (n = 117) and individual qualitative interviews (n = 26). The results revealed that several factors were associated with distress, including significantly higher levels of depression for those who smoked, drank alcohol, had pre-existing mental health conditions and had no social networks in quarantine. Levels of psychological distress were also related to waiting time for re-entry (the time between applying to repatriate and returning to Australia) and flight origin. Qualitative data showed that despite quarantine being viewed as necessary, unclear communication and a perception of lack of control were affecting emotional well-being. This information is useful to inform the further development of models to identify those at most risk and support psychological well-being in quarantine settings.

What are tourism’s growth drivers and challenges in the Middle East?

PurposeTourism in the Middle East is distinct and diverse, as are its associated challenges. The purpose of this paper is to examine the various opportunities and constraints facing the Middle East region in developing and promoting its tourism.Design/methodology/approachContent analysis of the current literature was conducted, and industry white papers and government portals were consulted to identify the historical relevance, current proceedings and future scope of tourism in the Middle East.FindingsGiven the diverse attractions, history, heritage and cuisine, the scope and potential to develop tourism in the Middle East region is enormous. However, political turmoil in the past and its stereotypical image emerged as the major constraints. Acknowledging the significance of the tourism sector, the governments of the region are trying hard to improve international arrivals and revenues.Originality/valueDespite a steep growth in international arrivals, tourism in the Middle East has not been adequately addressed in academia. This paper highlights the region’s tourism-related background, issues and constraints, thus, addressing a critical gap in the literature.

UNWTO World Tourism Barometer and Statistical Annex, November 2022

International tourism on track to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022 International tourism showed robust performance in January-September 2022, with arrivals reaching 63% of pre-pandemic levels in the first nine months of 2022. An estimated 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, more than double (+133%) the number recorded in the same period of 2021. Results were boosted by strong pent-up demand, improved confidence levels and the lifting of restrictions in an increasing number of destinations. Monthly arrivals climbed from -64% in January 2022 (versus 2019) to -27% in September, confirming the rapid and sustained recovery of international travel throughout the year. Tourism performance was particularly strong in the third quarter of 2022 (-26% over 2019) when an estimated 340 million international arrivals were recorded around the world, almost 50% of the nine-month total. Europe (+126%) continued to lead the rebound of international tourism through September, reaching 81% of pre-pandemic levels. The Middle East saw international arrivals more than triple (+225%) year-on-year in January-September 2022, climbing to 77% of 2019 levels. Africa (+166%) and the Americas (+106%) reached 63% and 66% of 2019 levels respectively. In Asia and the Pacific (+230%) arrivals more than tripled in the first nine months of 2022, reflecting the opening of many destinations, though remained 83% below 2019 levels. The recovery can also be seen in outbound tourism spending from major source markets, with strong results from France and Germany, where expenditure reached -8% and -12% respectively through September, compared to 2019. International arrivals could reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022, in line with UNWTO’s initial scenarios. Despite growing challenges pointing to a softening of the recovery pace in the coming months, export revenues from tourism could reach USD 1.2 to 1.3 trillion in 2022, a 60-70% increase over 2021, or 70-80% of the USD 1.8 trillion recorded in 2019.

Barómetro OMT del Turismo Mundial y anexo estadístico, noviembre 2022

La traducción sólo cubre el anexo estadístico. Los otros capítulos se publican en el idioma original (inglés). International tourism on track to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022 International tourism showed robust performance in January-September 2022, with arrivals reaching 63% of pre-pandemic levels in the first nine months of 2022. An estimated 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, more than double (+133%) the number recorded in the same period of 2021. Results were boosted by strong pent-up demand, improved confidence levels and the lifting of restrictions in an increasing number of destinations. Monthly arrivals climbed from -64% in January 2022 (versus 2019) to -27% in September, confirming the rapid and sustained recovery of international travel throughout the year. Tourism performance was particularly strong in the third quarter of 2022 (-26% over 2019) when an estimated 340 million international arrivals were recorded around the world, almost 50% of the nine-month total. Europe (+126%) continued to lead the rebound of international tourism through September, reaching 81% of pre-pandemic levels. The Middle East saw international arrivals more than triple (+225%) year-on-year in January-September 2022, climbing to 77% of 2019 levels. Africa (+166%) and the Americas (+106%) reached 63% and 66% of 2019 levels respectively. In Asia and the Pacific (+230%) arrivals more than tripled in the first nine months of 2022, reflecting the opening of many destinations, though remained 83% below 2019 levels. The recovery can also be seen in outbound tourism spending from major source markets, with strong results from France and Germany, where expenditure reached -8% and -12% respectively through September, compared to 2019. International arrivals could reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022, in line with UNWTO’s initial scenarios. Despite growing challenges pointing to a softening of the recovery pace in the coming months, export revenues from tourism could reach USD 1.2 to 1.3 trillion in 2022, a 60-70% increase over 2021, or 70-80% of the USD 1.8 trillion recorded in 2019.

Baromètre OMT du tourisme mondial et annexe statistique, novembre 2022

Seuls les principaux chapitres de la publication ont été traduits. Le reste de la publication figure dans la langue originale (Anglais). International tourism on track to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022 International tourism showed robust performance in January-September 2022, with arrivals reaching 63% of pre-pandemic levels in the first nine months of 2022. An estimated 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September, more than double (+133%) the number recorded in the same period of 2021. Results were boosted by strong pent-up demand, improved confidence levels and the lifting of restrictions in an increasing number of destinations. Monthly arrivals climbed from -64% in January 2022 (versus 2019) to -27% in September, confirming the rapid and sustained recovery of international travel throughout the year. Tourism performance was particularly strong in the third quarter of 2022 (-26% over 2019) when an estimated 340 million international arrivals were recorded around the world, almost 50% of the nine-month total. Europe (+126%) continued to lead the rebound of international tourism through September, reaching 81% of pre-pandemic levels. The Middle East saw international arrivals more than triple (+225%) year-on-year in January-September 2022, climbing to 77% of 2019 levels. Africa (+166%) and the Americas (+106%) reached 63% and 66% of 2019 levels respectively. In Asia and the Pacific (+230%) arrivals more than tripled in the first nine months of 2022, reflecting the opening of many destinations, though remained 83% below 2019 levels. The recovery can also be seen in outbound tourism spending from major source markets, with strong results from France and Germany, where expenditure reached -8% and -12% respectively through September, compared to 2019. International arrivals could reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022, in line with UNWTO’s initial scenarios. Despite growing challenges pointing to a softening of the recovery pace in the coming months, export revenues from tourism could reach USD 1.2 to 1.3 trillion in 2022, a 60-70% increase over 2021, or 70-80% of the USD 1.8 trillion recorded in 2019.

An analysis of the relationship between ICT infrastructure and international tourism demand in an emerging market

新兴市场ICT基础设施与国际旅游需求关系分析研究目的本文探讨了现有 ICT 基础设施和目的地 ICT 发展对新兴经济体越南国际游客旅游需求的影响。研究设计/方法/方法该研究使用 1995 年至 2019 年的时间序列数据, 应用矢量纠错模型 (VECM) 来分析 ICT 基础设施的短期和长期影响。研究发现分析结果表明, 虽然ICT基础设施在短期内不会影响国际游客数量, 但从长远来看对旅游业发展有积极贡献。此外, 研究结果还表明, 在短期内, 消费价格对游客人数产生了负面影响, 而从长期来看, 则产生了积极影响。实践意义研究结果是支持越南政府加快信息通信技术基础设施投资政策战略的重要基础, 特别是对旅游业和酒店业的投资。另一方面, 研究成果也为越南旅游目的地的管理者和经营者投资ICT基础设施和在管理中应用ICT创造了更多动力和信心。研究原创性/价值本研究通过考虑旅游需求识别模型中的动态的基于动态时间序列的方法, 增加了有关新兴旅游市场中旅游与 ICT 联系的文献, 该联系直接在 ICT 基础设施和国际入境者之间进行。此外, 该研究使用 CPI 来评估价格对游客需求的影响, 而不是使用汇率或使用来源国和目的地国之间的相对价格。

How to account for nature-based tourism in Europe. An operational proposal

Europe is a leader in the tourism industry, with half of the world's international arrivals in 2018. Nowadays tourism activities related to the enjoyment of nature, Nature-based tourism (NBT), are amongst the main tourism markets worldwide. NBT represents both a challenge and an opportunity. In fact, on the one hand, it contributes to creating new markets and spurring job growth, especially for small businesses and, on the other hand, it might impact the environment and local communities. What's more, it is extremely difficult to quantify the role of nature in traditional economic accounting. In this context, the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) covers this gap by reporting information not included in the traditional system of economic accounts. The Central SEEA framework was adopted by the UN Statistical Commission in 2012 and the Ecosystem Accounting module (SEEA EA) has recently been adopted to quantify the role of ecosystems. In this study, we fine-tune a methodology applied to account for daily outdoor recreation to measure the contribution of nature to the tourism sector respecting the SEEA EA rules. The approach was tested in Italy, which in 2019, had more than 430 million nights per year spent in the country for tourism. In our exploratory study, 56.69% (246 million) of the overnight stays were allocated to NBT. Our analysis shows that 43% (more than 30 million) of the overnight stays in the Veneto Region were allocated to nature; 75% (more than 39 million) in Trentino Alto Adige and 61.6% (29 million) in Tuscany. The top ranked municipalities, with very high numbers of overnight stays and very low share of NBT are cities of art: namely: Venice (Veneto Region), Milan (Lombardy Region) and Florence (Tuscany Region) and sea locations on the Adriatic Sea, specifically San Michele al Tagliamento and Jesolo (Veneto Region). On the contrary, the top-ranked locations with very high numbers of overnight stays and very high share of NBT are mountain, lakes and sea locations that have natural protected areas or other key iconic landmarks in their proximity and endorsed specific types of travel accommodation, such as camp sites. Based on our exploratory study, we argue that this approach allows us to disentangle the contribution of ecosystems to tourism. Not only is it compliant with the requests of the SEEA EA framework, but, thanks to the spatially-explicit outputs, it allows us to further explore the environmental and social impacts of tourism in a multi-scale perspective. In this study, a biophysical map developed at the EU level was used for illustrative purposes. In order to become operational at the national or local level, we suggest creating biophysical maps starting from local detailed datasets and, successively, to implement the methodology described in this paper.

Analisis Pembentukan Tempat Pemeriksaan Imigrasi Dalam Mendukung Kawasan Pariwisata Danau Toba

Indonesia is a country that has a wealth of natural resources and natural charm both in waters and land. Therefore, the government prepares a development plan in the tourism sector, namely the National Tourism Strategic Area which aims to increase the source of state and local government revenue so that the existing facilities are built in each tourism destination. Lake Toba is part of the National Tourism Strategic Area, which is expected to become a tourist attraction that brings in domestic and foreign tourists with the support of all areas surrounding Lake Toba, including Raja Sisingamangaraja XII Airport. Foreigners who enter and exit directly through King Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport must go through the Immigration Checkpoint which is the duty and function of immigration. The purpose of the study was to determine and analyze the establishment of an Immigration Checkpoint in supporting tourism in the Lake Toba area with the research location being carried out at Raja Sisingamangaraja XII International Airport. The research used is qualitative/analytical descriptive with a case study approach. Descriptive research is carried out by conducting analytical research studies. Based on the results of research through interviews, observations, documentation, and literature studies, it is known that currently in some ways it can be said that the establishment of airports is good and efficient in carrying out immigration duties and functions. However, there are still some things that need to be improved from technical and facilitative functions, especially during international arrivals so that immigration provides optimal services during immigration checks.

Tracing the international arrivals of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants after Aotearoa New Zealand reopened its border

In the second quarter of 2022, there was a global surge of emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineages that had a distinct growth advantage over then-dominant Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 lineages. By generating 10,403 Omicron genomes, we show that Aotearoa New Zealand observed an influx of these immune-evasive variants (BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5) through the border. This is explained by the return to significant levels of international travel following the border’s reopening in March 2022. We estimate one Omicron transmission event from the border to the community for every ~5,000 passenger arrivals at the current levels of travel and restriction. Although most of these introductions did not instigate any detected onward transmission, a small minority triggered large outbreaks. Genomic surveillance at the border provides a lens on the rate at which new variants might gain a foothold and trigger new waves of infection.

Discussing the Spatial Underpinnings of Tourism Policy and Planning in Romania

"The paper examines the spatial concepts and mechanisms that drive the reconfiguration of the tourism space and provide policy-relevant informa tion. Mapping the spatial patterns of tourism supply and demand at finely-grained data over the last two decades, the analysis employs spatiotemporal and scaling methods to capture the interactions and de pendencies among tourism concentrations. The findings point to space-tourism realignments based on heterogeneous concentration patterns and trajectories of change, supply growth and ex pansion at the first level of contiguity, and diffused domestic vs. polarized international arrivals. The bi nary approach of tourism concentrations of supply and demand with varying location quotients enables the identification of both differences and similarities in terms of contextual and tourism development in dicators. In support of context-sensitive policy inter ventions, we argue that space should be regarded as a central dimension of the tourism development pol icy. Providing a snapshot of the tourism concentra tions in 2019, the study may count as a baseline ref erence for further analyses in post-pandemic times."

Tourism & climate change in North America: regional state of knowledge

Climate change will have profound implications for North America’s tourism industry, which is one of the largest tourism markets globally with respect to international tourism arrivals (146 million) and receipts (US$246 billion). This article provides a critical overview of regional tourism and climate change research published in academic journals following the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). This article highlights the differential climate risks and opportunities by impact type (e.g. temperature, precipitation, extreme weather, sea level rise, ecosystem change) for all available market segments (e.g. winter sports, beach, parks, and fishing). A synthesis of studies that estimate sectoral carbon emissions and the risk of not transitioning to a net-zero future are also explored, including an overview of national climate policies and decarbonization strategies. Key knowledge gaps are underscored, with research priorities offered to help advance climate action within North America’s tourism sector.

Baromètre OMT du tourisme mondial et annexe statistique, septembre 2022

Seuls les principaux chapitres de la publication ont été traduits. Le reste de la publication figure dans la langue originale (Anglais). International tourism climbed to nearly 60% of pre-pandemic levels in January-July 2022 International tourism continued to show strong performance through July 2022, with arrivals reaching 57% of pre-pandemic levels in the first seven months of 2022. International tourist arrivals almost tripled (+172%) in January-July 2022 compared to the same period of 2021. The steady recovery reflects strong pent-up demand for international travel, especially in the months of June and July which are part of the Northern Hemisphere summer season. The easing or lifting of travel restrictions in an increasing number of countries also contributed to boost results. An estimated 207 million international arrivals were recorded in June and July 2022 combined, over twice the numbers seen in the same two months last year. These months represent 44% of the total arrivals recorded in the first seven months of 2022. Europe and the Middle East showed the fastest recovery in January-July 2022, with arrivals reaching 74% and 76% of 2019 levels, respectively. Europe (+190%) welcomed almost three times as many international arrivals as in the first seven months of 2021, while the Middle East (+287%) saw arrivals grow almost four times year-on-year in January-July 2022. The Americas (+103%) and Africa (+171%) also recorded strong growth in January-July 2022 compared to 2021, reaching 65% and 60% of 2019 levels respectively. Asia and the Pacific (+165%) saw arrivals more than double in the first seven months of 2022, though they remained 86% below 2019 levels. According to the September 2022 survey, the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts rated the period May-August 2022 with a score of 125 (on a scale of 0 to 200). Prospects for the remainder of the year are cautiously optimistic, with a score of 111, showing a downgrade in confidence levels. The challenging economic environment including high inflation and the spike in oil prices, aggravated by the war in Ukraine, continues to be the main factor weighing on the recovery of tourism, according to experts. Some 61% of experts now see a potential return of international arrivals to 2019 levels in 2024 or later while those indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 has diminished (27%) compared to the May survey (48%).

Barómetro OMT del Turismo Mundial y anexo estadístico, julio 2022

La traducción sólo cubre el anexo estadístico. Los otros capítulos se publican en el idioma original (inglés).International tourism consolidates its strong recovery despite growing challengesInternational tourism saw a strong rebound in the first five months of 2022, with arrivals reaching almost half (46%) the levels of the same period of 2019.International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) more than tripled (+221%) in January-May 2022 over 2021, but remained 54% below 2019 levels.Nearly 250 million international trips were recorded worldwide through May 2022. This compares with the 77 million arrivals seen in the same months of 2021.By regions, Europe and the Americas continued to lead the recovery. Europe welcomed more than four times as many international arrivals as in the first five months of 2021 (+350%). In the Americas (+112%) arrivals more than doubled. Despite the strong rebound, arrivals remained 36% and 40% below 2019 levels in Europe and the Americas respectively.The Middle East (+157%) and Africa (+156%) also saw strong growth in January-May 2022 over 2021 but remained 54% and 50% below 2019 levels respectively. Asia and the Pacific saw arrivals almost double (+94%), though numbers were still 90% below 2019, as some borders remained closed to non-essential travel.By subregions, the Caribbean (-18%) and Central America (-27%) showed the fastest recovery towards 2019 levels, along with Southern Mediterranean Europe, Western Europe and Northern Europe.Tourism expenditure from France climbed to -15% in January-May 2022 compared to 2019, while German spending stood at -23%, Italy at -27% and the United States at -31%. Spending from India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar exceeded pre-pandemic levels.Strong tourism demand during the Northern Hemisphere summer season is expected to consolidate these positive results, particularly as more destinations ease or lift travel restrictions. However, mounting economic and geopolitical challenges continue to pose a risk to recovery.UNWTO’s forward-looking scenarios published in May 2022 point to international arrivals reaching 55% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Scenarios by region show Europe (65% to 80% of 2019 levels) and Americas (63% to 76%) recording the best tourism results in 2022. In Africa and the Middle East arrivals could reach about 50% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, while in Asia and the Pacific they would remain at 30% of 2019 levels in the best-case scenario, due to stricter policies and restrictions.

Model-based evaluation of the COVID-19 epidemiological impact on international visitors during Expo 2020.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on large events has been substantial. In this work, an evaluation of the potential impact of international arrivals due to Expo 2020 in terms of potential COVID-19 infections from October 1st, 2021, until the end of April 2022 in the United Arab Emirates is presented. Our simulation results indicate that: (i) the vaccination status of the visitors appears to have a small impact on cases, this is expected as the small numbers of temporary visitors with respect to the total population contribute little to the herd immunity status; and (ii) the number of infected arrivals is the major factor of impact potentially causing a surge in cases countrywide with the subsequent hospitalisations and fatalities. These results indicate that the prevention of infected arrivals should take all precedence priority to mitigate the impact of international visitors with their vaccination status being of less relevance.