Between January and June 2026, an estimated 690 million tourists travelled across a border. That is only about 3 million more than in the same months of 2025, a rise of 0.4%.
The figure comes from UN Tourism’s World Tourism Barometer, published on September 17, 2026, so everything below is the agency’s own reading of its data. It describes a sector that was still growing but was pushed hard by instability in the Middle East, elevated oil prices and broader inflation.
A turn in the second quarter
The year started well. Global arrivals rose 2% in the first quarter, according to the Barometer, then slipped 1% in the second. April was the weak spot, with a 3% drop that UN Tourism put down to two things: Easter starting in March this year, which shifted travel out of April, and the wider consequences of the Middle East conflict. June brought another 3% fall worldwide.
The agency pointed to local causes for the worst June numbers. Western Europe saw arrivals fall 6%, partly because of heatwaves in some destinations. South-East Asia fell 5%, which UN Tourism linked to weaker demand from Asian source markets, geopolitical tensions, disrupted air travel through the Middle East and higher travel costs. Some destinations in Oceania were hit by Typhoon Sinlaku during the quarter.
The conflict has affected the Middle East and other regions since March 2026, the agency said. Air traffic disruption has eased gradually, especially after a ceasefire in May and early June, which allowed some air routes to reopen and produced what the Barometer calls an uneven rebound in consumer sentiment.
Winners and losers by region
Results were far from even. Africa did best in the half-year, with arrivals up 4%, followed by Europe at 3% and the Americas at 2%. Asia and the Pacific grew 1%. The Middle East, where the conflict hit directly, saw international arrivals drop 22%.
The Barometer also surveys its Panel of Tourism Experts. They named economic factors such as volatile oil prices, inflation or weak output, together with high transport and accommodation costs, as the two main challenges the industry faces this year.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais summed up the mood. “The latest data shows a sector absorbing real pressure and finding a way forward,” she said. “Tourism has not stopped growing, but that growth is fragile.” The Middle East situation, she added, has touched destinations far beyond the region.
The slowdown stands out against 2025, when international arrivals grew 4% to an estimated 1.52 billion, about 60 million more than in 2024.
Sources
- Global tourism growth slows to 0.4% as Middle East conflict weighs on travel – Travel Tomorrow
- UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer | Global Tourism Statistics
