Africa recorded a 4% increase in international tourist arrivals during the first half of 2026, outperforming global tourism growth as the sector faced geopolitical tensions, rising travel costs and inflationary pressures.
According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism, an estimated 690 million tourists travelled internationally between January and June, about 3 million more than during the same period last year. Global arrivals increased by just 0.4%, compared with Africa’s 4% growth.
Europe followed Africa with 3% growth, while the Americas recorded a 2% increase during the six-month period. Meanwhile, Asia and the Pacific grew by 1% but remained 11% below 2019 levels as higher air fares, disrupted connectivity and uncertainty continued to affect demand.
The Middle East recorded a 22% decline in arrivals, reflecting the direct impact of the conflict in the region. Although disruptions to air traffic gradually eased in May and June following the announcement of a ceasefire, the reopening of some routes resulted in an uneven recovery in traveller sentiment.
Globally, tourism growth also lost momentum during the second quarter. Arrivals increased by 2% in Q1 before falling by 1% in Q2, while June recorded a 3% decline. Western Europe saw arrivals fall by 6% that month, partly due to a heatwave.
Similarly, South-East Asia recorded a 5% decline in June, driven by weaker demand from Asian markets, geopolitical tensions, air travel disruptions through the Middle East and increased travel costs. Some destinations in Oceania also recorded a 6% decline following the impact of Typhoon Sinlaku.
Looking ahead, UN Tourism has lowered its forecast for international arrivals in 2026 to between 1% and 2%, down from its January forecast of 3% to 4%. The outlook will depend on the duration of the conflict and its impact on oil prices and inflation.
For Africa, the 4% first-half growth provides a positive performance against a challenging global backdrop. However, as travellers continue to seek value for money and consider closer-to-home or domestic travel, African tourism stakeholders will need to monitor changing demand, travel costs and global conditions through the remainder of 2026.
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