Asia-Pacific records highest tourist arrivals progression in 2024

With a 33% jump in total international arrivals, Asia-Pacific became the world’s fastest growing tourism market last year. In 2025, Asia-Pacific tourism should finally put behind its pandemic years.

Last year, over 319 million international arrivals were recorded in Asia-Pacific. According to UN Tourism, Asia-Pacific consolidated its recovery since reopening its borders in 2022. The gap with tourist arrivals recorded in 2019 narrowed from -74% in 2022 to -13% in 2024. Most countries in Asia-Pacific should surpass 2019 figures in 2025. Some have already shown higher figures than 5 years ago. The Maldives recorded 20% more international arrivals in 2024 than 2019. Japan tourism was up 16%, French Polynesia 11%, Fiji 10%, and Sri Lanka 7%. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia had the most significant progression with tourist arrivals standing only 7% behind 2019 figures.