A World on the Move: But Who Gets to Travel?

Travel continues to grow worldwide. According to UN Tourism, international tourist arrivals reached approximately 1.52 billion in 2025, an increase of 4% over 2024.

Europe was the largest destination region, recording approximately 793 million international arrivals. Asia and the Pacific recorded 331 million, while the Americas recorded 218 million.

But these figures measure arrivals, not the number of different people who travelled. They cannot tell us what percentage of the world’s population took an international trip.

Looking at individual participation reveals another perspective. Eurostat reports that 65% of EU residents aged 15 or over made at least one overnight tourism trip for personal purposes in 2024. Separately, 27% of the EU population aged 16 or over could not afford a week-long holiday away from home that year.

Not travelling does not always mean being unable to travel. Financial constraints, work and family commitments, health, mobility and personal preferences all influence participation.

The evidence highlights two realities: travel is a major global activity, and access to it remains uneven.

The next chapter of tourism is not only about how much travel grows, but also who has the opportunity to participate.