Tourism in Europe and Asia Roars Past Pre-COVID Levels

The broader European tourism sector saw international arrivals grow by 4% in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic figures by 6%. Central and Eastern Europe experienced particularly strong growth at 8%, outpacing the Southern Mediterranean region's 2% rise. Hungary's tourism growth is significantly outperforming its neighbors, with a 12% increase in foreign guests in 2025, more than double the growth seen in Austria and five times that of Croatia. The country welcomed a record 20 million guests for the first time, spurred by expanded flight connections at Budapest's airport, which itself handled a record 19 million passengers. In South Korea, the rebound is contributing significantly to the economy, with the travel and tourism sector's GDP contribution projected to hit a record ₩96.2 trillion. This growth is partly fueled by the "Korean Wave," as 32% of younger visitors cite Korean pop culture content as their primary reason for visiting. While South Korea saw 16.37 million visitors in 2024—94% of its 2019 peak—total tourist spending of $16.7 billion still lags 34.5% behind pre-pandemic highs. The country also faces a widening travel deficit, as the number of Koreans traveling abroad is nearly 1.8 times the number of foreign tourists coming in. Ireland's tourism landscape in 2025 was heavily supported by its largest market, Great Britain, which accounted for 38% of all 6.4 million visitors. However, the sector faces significant headwinds from a passenger cap at Dublin Airport and a shortage of tourist accommodations. This rapid global tourism recovery is re-igniting challenges of "overtourism" in popular destinations. The surge in visitor numbers is placing renewed pressure on local infrastructure, from public transport to waste management, and in some cases leading to social friction with residents over crowding and rising housing costs.