Global tourism growth slows to 0.4% in H1

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Global international tourism growth slowed sharply to 0.4% in the first half of 2026, reaching about 690 million tourists, as rising travel costs, geopolitical tensions, and the West Asia conflict dampened demand. The UN World Tourism Barometer reports a challenging outlook for the tourism sector amid these headwinds.

TEHRAN - International tourism grew by 0.4% in the first half of 2026, with around 690 million tourists travelling abroad as rising travel costs, geopolitical tensions and the conflict in West Asia weighed on global demand, according to the latest World Tourism Barometer from UN Tourism.