Revisions to data show that the total export revenue from international tourism, including receipts and passenger transportation, grew 11% in real terms. This is about 15% higher than pre-pandemic levels. This is about 6% (in real terms) of all global exports, both of goods and of services.
- Tourism service exports are primarily based on international tourism receipts. grew 11 % to USD 1.7 trillionAlso in real terms, (adjusted to inflation and exchange rate fluctuations).
- The average spending per international trip remained USD 1,170 in 2024. This is higher than the USD 1,000 pre-pandemic (both in constant dollar).
In 2024, growth in the earnings from international travel was driven by large source markets including the United Kingdom (+16% compared to 2023), Canada (+13%) the United States (+12%), Australia +8% and France (+7%). China, which is the world’s largest tourism spender, saw outbound expenses rise 30%, to USD 251billion. This was about 3% higher than before the pandemic.
Other markets with strong spending growth include Saudi Arabia (+17%). This country is expected to see a remarkable increase in 2023.
