Pakistan Leads Global Tourism Recovery with 115% Surge in 2023
Muhammad Naeem:
Islamabad:Pakistan emerged as the top-performing tourism destination during the first nine months of 2023, according to the World Tourism Organisation’s ‘World Tourism Barometer.’ The report highlighted Pakistan’s remarkable 92% recovery to pre-pandemic levels, driven by a 115% increase in foreign tourist arrivals compared to the previous year. This surge signaled a strong rebound for the country’s tourism sector, showcasing its ability to attract global visitors post-Covid.
With international tourism receipts projected to reach $1.3 billion by the end of 2023, Pakistan has positioned itself as a leader in tourism recovery. The Managing Director of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Aftab Rana, credited this success to strategic promotional efforts. Pakistan actively participated in six major global events to showcase its tourism potential. The launch of the “Salam Pakistan” brand in August 2023, coupled with an enhanced online presence, played a significant role in attracting tourists from diverse regions.
Minister of State for Tourism Wasi Shah praised the PTDC and its industry partners for this achievement, expressing optimism for even stronger performance in 2024 despite existing challenges. Rana also highlighted the collaborative efforts of PTDC, provincial tourism departments, and private sector operators in expanding international partnerships through global events.
The World Tourism Organisation’s barometer also identified other top-performing destinations for 2023, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Romania, and Serbia, showcasing the strong global tourism recovery. However, the report placed Egypt and Serbia at the bottom of the list of performing destinations.
The barometer revealed that global tourism has recovered 87% of pre-pandemic levels between January and September 2023, with 975 million tourists traveling internationally during this period. While this reflects a 38% increase compared to 2022, it is still 13% lower than 2019 figures. International tourism receipts could reach $1.4 trillion by the end of 2023, signaling a strong recovery, with the Middle East leading in relative terms, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 20%.
Europe, the world’s largest destination region, recovered 94% of its pre-pandemic visitors, fueled by strong intra-regional travel demand. Africa also performed well, recovering 92% of its pre-crisis visitor numbers, while the Americas achieved 88%. Asia and the Pacific, however, saw a slower recovery, reaching 62% of pre-pandemic levels.
Certain sub-regions, including North Africa, Central America, and Southern Mediterranean Europe, exceeded their pre-pandemic visitor levels during the first nine months of 2023, reflecting varying recovery trends across different regions.
International tourism is expected to continue its upward trend, with arrivals projected to reach 1.3 billion by the end of 2023, nearly 90% of pre-pandemic figures. Despite ongoing economic challenges, geopolitical tensions, and conflicts, the UNWTO predicts a full recovery of global tourism to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.
