PATA: Asia Pacific Tourism Nears Full Recovery as Growth Moderates in Early 2026

According to the PATA Annual Tourism Monitor 2026, international visitor arrivals (IVAs) across 44 Asia Pacific destinations reached 239 million in early 2026. Arrivals increased 2.9% year-on-year compared to the same period in 2025. The region has recovered to 96.3% of 2019 levels.

2025 Regional Performance
- Asia Pacific recorded 700.2 million international visitor arrivals across 46 destinations in 2025.
- This represented 99.3% recovery of pre-pandemic (2019) volumes.
- Asia accounted for 523.1 million visitors, representing 74.7% of total arrivals.
- The Pacific recovered to 89.4% of 2019 levels, while the Americas reached 94.2%.

Highest Arrival Volumes
- USA recorded the highest number of international arrivals.
- Followed by:
- Hong Kong SAR
- Macao, China
- Türkiye
- Mexico
- Thailand and Japan remained among the region's leading tourism destinations.

Strong Growth Markets
- Vietnam recorded 12.3 million arrivals, up 14.9%, reaching 144.5% of 2019 levels.
- Korea (ROK) welcomed 10.7 million arrivals, up 21.4%, achieving 128.4% of 2019 levels.

Markets Showing Slower Growth
- USA recorded 27 million arrivals, down 1.0% year-on-year.
- Thailand welcomed 15.9 million arrivals, down 4.9% year-on-year.
- Several major markets, including India, Cambodia, Thailand, and the USA, experienced softer growth during 2025.

PATA CEO's Perspective
Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA, noted that while recovery is a major achievement, the tourism industry continues to face challenges from:
- Geopolitical conflicts
- Natural disasters
- Economic pressures
- Changes in travel policies

Focus Shifts Beyond Recovery
- Destinations are now focusing on sustainable and resilient growth rather than simply restoring visitor numbers.
- Air connectivity, transportation links, and visa policies remain critical drivers of travel demand.
- Higher travel costs and complex travel procedures could impact future growth.

Importance of Diversification
- Destinations are encouraged to attract visitors from a wider range of source markets.
- Longer visitor stays can help strengthen tourism resilience.
- Managing visitor flows and promoting travel beyond peak seasons will become increasingly important for destinations that have already exceeded 2019 arrival levels.

Key Highlights
- Asia Pacific tourism has recovered to 96.3% of pre-pandemic levels in early 2026.
- The region welcomed 700.2 million visitors in 2025.
- Vietnam and Korea (ROK) emerged as the strongest growth markets.
- Tourism growth is moderating as recovery nears completion.
- Future success will depend on sustainability, resilience, connectivity, and diversified source markets.