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The OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026 report attributed disruptions to global travel flows and higher costs to the Middle East conflict, which has also eroded traveller confidence across several markets. According to the document, nations within the region have suffered the greatest impact along with destinations that rely on Gulf carriers for connectivity. The analysis covering 53 economies advised governments and industry to draw on pandemic-era lessons while preparing for continued geopolitical pressures.
OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann said in the report, “Tourism continues to grow, generating business opportunities, jobs and tax revenues across the OECD. Governments and businesses need to work together to sustain this growth and build resilience. This means applying the lessons of the pandemic and the conflict in the Middle East to strengthen crisis preparedness, and managing tourism and visitor flows to ensure the sector delivers lasting benefits.” The OECD assessment noted that safety worries, affordability issues and cancellation risks are steering many visitors toward familiar, lower-cost and shorter-duration trips. Providers are already revising schedules for 2027, prompting destinations to adapt strategies around shifting demand patterns.
A recent OECD survey found that one third of member countries project tourism results to surpass 2025 levels by year-end, with several expected to post fresh highs. OECD figures show Finland recorded the strongest performance with a 16.5 percent rise in international arrivals during 2025, followed by Japan at 15.8 percent, Korea at 15.7 percent and Norway at 12.5 percent. Those gains in Japan and Korea followed even larger expansions in 2024 of 47.1 percent and 48.4 percent respectively, aided by enhanced air services and favourable exchange rates.
Performance varied widely according to the OECD report, which placed international tourist arrivals below pre-pandemic levels in multiple member states at the end of 2025. The data indicated declines of 0.6 percent in Canada, 0.8 percent in Germany, 2.8 percent in Ireland and 5.5 percent in the United States. Inbound visits to Israel remained 70.8 percent below pre-pandemic volumes after regional conflicts sharply curtailed demand.
UN Tourism data separately placed global international arrivals at an estimated 1.52 billion for 2025, reflecting a 4 percent increase from the prior year that aligns with the OECD trends among member economies. The UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer issued in January 2026 observed solid results across most destinations amid sustained recovery in travel demand. Such worldwide resilience underscores the sector’s overall momentum even as localised risks from conflict persist.
As airlines, operators and destinations refine offerings for coming seasons, the OECD report called for proactive management of evolving geopolitical, economic and climate-related uncertainties. The organisation’s review of policy responses across covered economies emphasised the importance of coordinated efforts to maintain growth while mitigating future shocks. OECD data from the 2026 edition will continue to serve as a benchmark for competitiveness and innovation in the sector.
