The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) today released its Annual Tourism Monitor 2025, highlighting the remarkable recovery of international visitor arrivals (IVAs) across the Asia Pacific region. According to the report, IVAs in 2024 reached 647.9 million across 46 destinations, marking a 24.1% increase from the previous year and reaching a 91.9% recovery rate compared to pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019.
In the first half of 2025, provisional data from Asia Pacific destinations indicate that IVAs reached 295.7 million. This reflects a significant 5.4% year-on-year increase and a 92.6% recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels. The upward trend is expected to continue in the rest of 2025, with a transition to stable growth patterns.
Key Findings: Significant Increase in IVAs for the Asia Pacific region
Asia was the primary engine of growth in 2024, recording 470.9 million IVAs, which accounted for 72.7% of the region’s total and represented a robust 30.7% year-on-year increase. Americas and Pacific followed with 153.0 million IVAs (23.6%, up 9.7%) and 24.0 million IVAs (3.7%, up 6.9%), respectively.
Among the top-performing destinations were China, which welcomed over 127 million visitors, accounting for 19.7% of the Asia Pacific region’s total, and the USA, which saw over 72 million arrivals (11.2%).
Japan experienced a remarkable surge in IVAs in 2024, reaching 36.87 million with a growth rate of 47.1%, the highest among the major Asia Pacific destinations. This impressive rebound was driven by a combination of factors, including Japan’s authentic cultural appeal, favourable exchange rate, and increased air connectivity.
Following this, in the first half year, of 2025, Japan continued its strong performance by attracting 14.4 million IVAs with a 24.5% increase over the same period in the previous year and achieving a recovery rate of 131.6%.
Additionally, Macao, China, recorded robust gains, attracting 34.9 million IVAs in 2024 with a 23.8% year-on-year increase. Macao sustained this upward trajectory into the first half of 2025, with IVAs growing by 14.9% even as momentum slowed in other key destinations. Its success is rooted in its strategic diversification beyond gaming, enhanced infrastructure and transport links, and targeted promotional efforts, particularly toward China.
Emerging Trends and a Bright Outlook for 2025
In the first half of 2025, Asia continued to drive regional tourism, which accounted for eight of the top 10 destinations by volume, with 224.1 million arrivals during this period, while the Americas and the Pacific recorded 60.5 million and 11.1 million arrivals, respectively.
PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid commented, “While growth has naturally eased following the sharp rebounds of 2023 and 2024, the data points to a healthy and sustainable trajectory for tourism across the Asia Pacific. The region is entering a new phase of maturity – one defined not by recovery, but by resilience and recalibration. These results reaffirm the strength of the industry’s foundations and its ability to evolve in response to shifting market conditions and traveller expectations.”
Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Challenges
Opportunities for the Asia Pacific tourism sector as the region enters its next phase of recovery, including:
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The rapid expansion of low-cost carriers has played a pivotal role, pushing inbound seat recovery to 123.1% of 2019 levels by 2025 and making travel more affordable and accessible, especially for short-haul markets.
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The emergence of India as a major source and destination market, alongside the continued resilience of North and South American travel demand, provides new engines for sustained growth.
Challenges that may temper this momentum include:
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The slower outbound recovery of China, a leading destination and source market in Asia Pacific, continues to weigh on regional flows
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The Pacific faces structural barriers such as high operating costs and limited air connectivity.
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Geopolitical tensions and escalating climate risks pose ongoing uncertainties for the sector.
Mr. Hamid added, “As the sector moves forward, the priority must be to transform recovery into resilience. Destinations should continue to diversify their markets, strengthen public-private collaboration, and invest in long-term sustainability—both environmental and economic. In a time of ongoing uncertainty, adaptability and cooperation remain our most valuable tools for ensuring steady, inclusive growth across the region.”
