March 4, 2025
The Middle East and Africa: Incredible tourist arrival recovery in 2024
UN Tourism data shows that in 2024, the Middle East and Africa had fully recovered from the pandemic years. Total international tourist arrivals reached 95 million for the Middle East, making it the strongest-performing region compared to 2019. International arrivals stood at 32% above pre-pandemic levels last year. Growth was driven by an exceptional increase in total arrivals in Qatar (up 137% compared to 2023), Saudi Arabia (up 69%) and Jordan (up 16%).
With 74 million travellers in 2024, Africa enjoyed 12% growth over 2023, with 7% more arrivals than in 2019. Morocco and Egypt performed the best with arrivals up by 35% and 23% respectively.
