Int'l tourist arrivals doubled in 2022

International tourist arrivals doubled in 2022 over the previous year and should reach near pre-pandemic levels in 2023 thanks to the lifting of travel restrictions, especially in China, the UN's tourism body said Tuesday.

There were 917 million global tourist arrivals last year, up from 455 million in 2021, the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization said in a report, calling it "stronger than expected results".

While the number of international arrivals last year was still just 63 percent of the level posted in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the UN body predicts it could reach 80 percent to 95 percent in 2023.

"Looking ahead, international tourism is set to consolidate its recovery in 2023, backed by pent-up demand, particularly from Asia and the Pacific as destinations and markets open up," the report said.

Europe, the world's most popular destination region, recorded 585 million arrivals last year, nearly 80 percent of its pre-pandemic level.

But Africa and the Americas only recovered to about 65 percent of pre-pandemic visitors, while the Pacific region reached only 23 percent due to stronger pandemic-related restrictions.