UNWTO downgrades forecast for recovery of international tourism

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has worsened the forecast for the recovery of international tourism.

Half of the organization’s experts believe that it won’t happen until 2022, Report informs, referring to the UNWTO website.

"Almost half of the respondents (45%) envisaged better prospects for 2021 compared to last year, while 25% expect similar performance and 30% foresee a worsening of results in 2021. The overall prospects of a rebound in 2021 seem to have worsened. 50% of respondents now expect a rebound to occur only in 2022 as compared to 21% in October 2020," the report said.

The UNWTO Panel of Experts foresees growing demand for open-air and nature-based tourism activities, with domestic tourism and ‘slow travel’ experiences gaining increasing interest.

"Most experts don’t see a return to pre-pandemic levels happening before 2023. In fact, 43% of respondents point to 2023, while 41% expect a return to 2019 levels will only happen in 2024 or later. UNWTO’s extended scenarios for 2021-2024 indicate that it could take two-and-a-half to four years for international tourism to return to 2019 levels," reads the report.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of international trips in 2020 decreased by one billion, or 74% from the level of 2019.