Despite Being Below Pre-Pandemic Levels by 61.1%, Europe Among Least Affected Regions for Tourist Arrivals

According to Statista, the data company, the change in the number of foreign tourists is the lowest in Western Europe, including countries like France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

A similar flow of international tourists was noticed in 2020 when 60.9 per cent of pre-pandemic levels of tourism were recorded in this region of Europe.

However, the second-most affected area remains Central and Eastern Europe, which lags behind pre-pandemic levels of international arrivals by 64.3 per cent, while these rates were even lower last year when the region’s tourism rates were down by 69.3 per cent compared to 2019 levels.

This region, including countries like Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovenia, continues to be affected by concerning numbers of international tourist arrivals, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine is expected to impact the new arrivals’ confidence.

Nonetheless, Northern Europe has scored the least progress out of all, as the foreign arrivals have scored only 25 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, remaining three quarters behind pre-pandemic levels.

Moreover, Scandinavian and Baltic countries, which represent the Northern region of Europe, hosted fewer international arrivals even in 2020, remaining behind 2019 levels by 72.1 per cent.

As per the remaining regions of the world, the least affected area in terms of international arrivals was Central America, lagging behind pre-pandemic levels by only 55.2 per cent in 2021, while these rates were lower in 2020 – standing at 71.6 per cent.

In 2021, international tourist arrivals stood behind 2019 levels by 61.1 per cent in North America, Sub-Saharan Africa (71.1 per cent), the Middle East (74.6 per cent), and North Africa (76 per cent).

Nonetheless, the lowest rates for 2021 were recorded in South Asia (83.4 per cent), South America (84.5 per cent), North-East Asia (93.3 per cent), Oceania (95.9 per cent), and South-East Asia (97.8 per cent).

As per the change in the number of international tourist arrivals compared to 2020 levels with the previous year, the most affected regions in the world are North-East Asia (88.1 per cent), South-East Asia (81.6 per cent) and Oceania (79.4 per cent).