Saudi Arabia Leads Global Tourism Surge While Israel Sees Sharpest Decline
New data from the OECD, analyzed by Visual Capitalist, reveals a complex global tourism recovery between 2019 and 2025. While many countries have rebounded or even surpassed pre-pandemic visitor numbers, Israel has experienced the steepest drop, with international tourist arrivals falling 71% compared to 2019. This decline is primarily attributed to the outbreak of war on October 7, 2023, which severely impacted inbound tourism and deterred visitors.
Saudi Arabia stands out as the biggest winner, posting a 67% increase in tourists since 2019. This surge is credited to the Vision 2030 initiative, which includes visa facilitation, expanded flight routes, and massive investments in cultural, entertainment, and tourism infrastructure. Other countries with significant growth include Morocco (53%), Egypt (47%), Brazil (46%), and Colombia (45%). Japan and several European nations like Norway, Serbia, Denmark, Turkey, and Portugal also showed notable recoveries.
Europe’s overall tourism has mostly returned to or exceeded pre-pandemic levels, though some countries lag behind. Spain increased by 16%, France by 12%, and Greece, the Netherlands, and Sweden each by 11%. However, Germany remains 6% below 2019 levels, Italy 5% lower, and Ireland experienced a sharp 32% decline.
The United States and Canada have not fully recovered either, with decreases of 14% and 11%, respectively. In the Asia-Pacific region, countries such as Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, and Indonesia have seen slower but steady tourism rebounds.
These findings highlight a shifting global tourism landscape, with Saudi Arabia emerging as a new powerhouse while Israel faces significant challenges in restoring its tourism sector.
