Tourism Growth in 2019-2020

The UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) recently released reports showing how strong the tourism sector was in 2019. To quote one of the publications directly:

“International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) worldwide grew 4% in 2019 to reach 1.5 billion, based on data reported by destinations around the world.”

1.5 billion international tourist arrivals in 2019 were remarkably impressive, given the overall economic and political climate. If you recall, last year was the year of Brexit uncertainty, Thomas Cook collapsed, and the Australian wildfires. There were significant legislative and political environment changes as well that all could have had cascading effects on the tourism industry as a whole.

Despite that, according to the UNWTO, all regions saw a growth in tourism. The area that enjoyed the highest increase was the Middle East. The Americas also saw a rise of approximately 2%. Even though the world was more uncertain in 2019 than ever, people still elected to take the time to travel the world.

For those in the hospitality industry, this should be an encouraging sign. This most recent report shows that people are willing to prioritize travel even when the world seems a little uncertain. People are looking for fun trips and a fantastic getaway all across the globe.

The UNWTO forecasts that, based on current trends, there will be a growth of approximately 3-4% over the next year in international travel. Of course, much of this is dependent on the global economy. Still, with no signs of the US economy slowing, the economy will likely permit people to have the disposable money necessary to travel.

While this particular report doesn’t touch upon the dollar value of tourism, we do know from previous reports that the US tourism industry is $1.7 trillion in economic output. The travel and tourism industry accounts for 11% of all travel and tourism exports, which is incredible considering how much this country exports (software, shows, manufactured goods, etc.). The US Department of Commerce projected that the US would welcome 95.5 million tourists in 2023, which, combined with the overall global outlook of the current UNWTO report, is very encouraging. There’s significant evidence, both from UN and US sources, that the US travel industry will continue to be a beacon of economic light. Indeed, hospitality providers should feel reasonably confident regarding these reports.

For Airbnb providers, in particular, this is fantastic news. Many people who travel internationally love Airbnbs as they provide a local experience at a reasonable price. Staying at a hotel can certainly be fun, but if you want to immerse yourself in a particular community, it can be hard to do that in a hotel environment. Airbnbs let people experience all the destination has to offer!

Ayvio, a hospitality company, is helping partners from all across the United States transform their properties into world-class quality experiences for both domestic and international tourists alike. We’re excited for 2020 and expect our partners to continue to enjoy the benefits of both our services and a strong tourism demand!