Despite growing health, economic, and geopolitical challenges, international tourism rebounded strongly during the first five months of 2022, registering nearly 250 million arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization's latest barometer published in early August. The sector has recovered almost half (46%) of its pre-pandemic levels from 2019. Europe welcomed more than four times as many international arrivals as during the first five months of 2021 (+350%), driven by strong intra-regional demand and the lifting of all travel restrictions in a growing number of countries. International spending by tourists from France, Germany, Italy, and the United States has now reached 70% to 85% of pre-pandemic levels. Positive figures were also observed in the hotel industry, as global occupancy rates reached 66% in June, compared to 43% in January, according to data from the company STR. However, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation and interest rates, as well as fears of an economic slowdown, pose a threat to the recovery.
With kind permission from the Journal de l'Hôtellerie