Africa also progressed by 4%, driven by a spectacular jump of 18% in North Africa in March.
Asia and the Americas are, for their part, more limited engines. Asia-Pacific posted overall growth of 3%, held back by a 27% decline in South Asia due to air disruptions, although Oceania, at +9%, and Northeast Asia, at +5%, posted solid performances.
The Americas recorded a moderate increase of 2%, masking strong disparities between the dynamism of Central America, at +18%, and the decline in South America, at -1%.
To read: Tourism: after a difficult month of May, operators are turning to the government!
Conversely, the Middle East is broken. The region is bearing the brunt of the direct impact of the conflict, with a 14% drop in arrivals in the first quarter and a hotel occupancy rate which collapsed, falling from 75% in January to 48% in March. Only Egypt is doing well, with a pronounced increase of 16%.
The conflict in the Middle East is profoundly changing the travel economy, well beyond its geographic area.
Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, points out that disruptions to air connections, coupled with maritime instability in the Strait of Hormuz, are causing a surge in the price of oil and kerosene.
This situation leads to a mechanical increase in air fares and a reduction in transport capacity.
