“If flight bookings continue to grow at the current rate, the number of global travelers is expected to increase by 1.5 billion in 2022 compared to last year, with Europe showing the biggest increase, around 550 million,” the report said.

Compared to the same period in 2019, short- and medium-haul flights increased 25% and 27% respectively in April. At the beginning of this year, long-distance travel was still 75% below pre-pandemic levels, and by the end of April it had rebounded to only 7% lower than 2019. Passenger railways are also close, and buses have recovered to pre-pandemic levels. At the beginning of this year, cruise consumption fell 75% from its peak in 2019, and is now only 10% short of a full recovery.

According to the report, tourist spending on nightclubs and bars increased 72% compared to 2019, spending on restaurants increased 31%, and spending on other entertainment activities such as museums, concerts, and amusement parks increased 35%. In contrast, tourist spending on retail goods such as clothing and cosmetics has declined.

The report found that the most popular international destination for tourists departing from North America in March was Mexico, and the most popular destination for visitors departing from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa was the United Kingdom. The US is a top destination for tourists from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific.