By region, Africa and Europe led the half-year. Africa posted the strongest growth at 4%. It was driven by Sub-Saharan Africa, which rose 6%, with South Africa as one of its engines thanks to a 12% increase. Morocco, with 6% more arrivals, helped lift results in the north of the continent. Some Indian Ocean islands, however, such as Mauritius and Seychelles, were hit by reduced air capacity from Gulf carriers.
Europe, the world's largest destination region, welcomed almost 350 million international visitors, 3% more than a year earlier. Southern Mediterranean Europe grew 4%, helped in part by travellers who chose other destinations over the Middle East. Central and Eastern Europe consolidated its recovery and returned to pre-pandemic levels. Greece and Ireland recorded 15% increases, while Uzbekistan and the Republic of Moldova reached 25%.
In the Americas, arrivals rose 2%. Central America stood out once again with 15% growth, led by El Salvador's remarkable 37%. North America grew 2%, with solid figures from Mexico and Canada. The Caribbean held steady, although the Dominican Republic grew 10%. South America, meanwhile, slipped 2%, despite an impressive 34% rise in Paraguay.
Asia and the Pacific improved by just 1% and remains 11% below 2019 levels. Connectivity problems, higher airfares and uncertainty held back travel within the region itself. Even so, the Republic of Korea shone with a 21% increase.
The most worrying figures come from the Middle East, where international arrivals plunged 22%. The conflict has disrupted air traffic and undermined traveller confidence. The contrast is striking: in 2025 the region was 40% above its pre-pandemic arrival figures. Since the May ceasefire, some routes have reopened and a recovery is starting to emerge, though unevenly.
On the spending side, the major source markets showed firm demand. The United States increased its spending on international travel by 4%, and Germany by 5%. Spain deserves a special mention. Spanish travellers spent 12% more in the first half of the year, after a 2025 in which the country became the world's ninth-largest spender.
Looking ahead to the end of the year, the sector is cautiously optimistic. The experts consulted by UN Tourism cite volatile oil prices, inflation and high transport and accommodation costs as their main concerns. Even so, 45% expect better results between September and December than in the same period of 2025.
Against this backdrop, UN Tourism has revised its forecast downwards. The organization now projects that international arrivals will grow by between 1% and 2% in 2026, compared with the 3% to 4% it estimated in January. With so much uncertainty, travellers will keep looking for good value for money and destinations closer to home.
