Madrid - Spain

The United Nations Tourism has reduced its expectations for the growth of international tourist numbers during the year 2026 to a range between 1% and 2% only, compared to its expectations issued last January, which predicted growth between 3% and 4%, indicating a clear slowdown in the momentum of global travel under the pressure of geopolitical tensions, high travel costs, and inflation.

690 million tourists in six months

According to the latest data from the “World Tourism Barometer”, the number of international tourists reached about 690 million tourists during the first half of 2026, an increase of approximately 3 million only over the same period last year, equivalent to a limited growth of 0.4%. The first quarter recorded a growth of 2%, before movement decreased by 1% in the second quarter.

The growth map varies between regions

Africa topped the regions in terms of growth by 4%, followed by Europe by 3% and the Americas by 2%, while Asia and the Pacific achieved growth by 1%. On the other hand, the Middle East recorded a decline of about 22% during the first half, directly affected by regional unrest and its repercussions on air traffic and traveler confidence.

Al Nowais: Growth is continuing but fragile
Sheikha Al Nowais, Secretary-General of the United Nations for Tourism, commented on the results by saying that the tourism sector is still able to absorb the pressures and continue, stressing that “tourism has not stopped growing, but this growth is fragile.” She pointed out that the repercussions of the Middle East situation extended to destinations outside the region, revealing the extent of the interconnectedness of the global travel industry.

Prices are reshaping travel decisions

The organization believes that rising prices and uncertainty may push travelers during the remainder of the year to search more for value for money, choose geographically closer destinations or increase reliance on domestic tourism, while the final performance of the sector will remain linked to the development of geopolitical conditions, oil prices and inflation levels.

What does this mean for Arab tourists and investors?

For the Arab traveler, regional and nearby destinations may become more attractive as flight and long-term accommodation prices rise. As for investors and tourism companies, the global slowdown raises the importance of flexible products and clear value offers, and makes the ability to respond quickly to shifts in demand a more important factor in competition during the coming period.