MADRID, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- International tourist arrivals grew by 4 percent in 2025, with an estimated 1.52 billion people making global trips in 2025 -- about 60 million more than in 2024, the Madrid-based UN Tourism reported on Tuesday.

Europe, the world's largest destination region, welcomed 793 million international tourists in 2025, up 4 percent from 2024. The Americas recorded 218 million arrivals, a 1 percent increase, with performance varying across subregions. Africa saw arrivals climb 8 percent to 81 million, driven in part by particularly strong growth in North Africa.

UN Tourism said strong global travel demand, improved air connectivity and easier visa procedures in many destinations were key drivers behind the increase.

UN Tourism highlights a corresponding rise in spending, with preliminary estimates pointing to international tourist receipts of 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars, which is 5 percent higher than in 2024.

"Demand for travel remained high throughout 2025, despite high inflation in tourism services and uncertainty stemming from geopolitical tensions," UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais said, adding that the organization was optimistic about 2026 as "the global economy is expected to remain steady and destinations still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels continue to recover." ■