International tourism grew just 0.4% in the first half of 2026, with Europe seeing a 3% uptick in arrivals, according to the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism.
The continent was among the strongest performers, with only Africa seeing a larger growth of 4%.
Some 350 million international tourists visited Europe between January and June this year – but that growth wasn’t uniform.
Both Southern Mediterranean Europe and Central Eastern Europe saw a 4% growth, with Northern Europe up 3%.
On the flip side, arrivals in Western Europe declined 1%, with UN Tourism noting this was “partly due to heatwaves in June and weaker long-haul demand in some destinations during Q2 2026”.
The Middle East saw a 22% drop in arrivals, with South Asia down 5% and South East Asia down 1%.
“The Middle East situation has touched destinations far beyond the region itself and serves as a clear reminder that, in such a connected world, resilience needs to be built everywhere and not just when a crisis begins,” UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais said.
The report notes that in Europe and Asia Pacific, the conflict has “partly shifted tourism demand toward nearby and more accessible destinations”.
Which destinations saw the biggest growth?
In Europe, Moldova had the biggest uptick in tourist arrivals, with a 25% rise in the first half of the year. Greece and Ireland both saw a 15% increase.
Globally, the destinations seeing the biggest rises include El Salvador (+37%), Paraguay (+34%), Bhutan (+31%), Vanuatu (+30%), Palau (+29%), Mongolia (+27%), Uzbekistan (+25%) and South Korea (+21%).
International arrivals are predicted to grow between 1% and 2% for 2026 – down from a forecast of 3% to 4% reported in January.