International tourism is expanding in places once overshadowed by established vacation markets. Lower airfares, direct routes, improved security, major events, and tourism investment have changed where people travel.
Growth rates below compare international visitor totals in 2019 and 2024.
Longer-term data for Doha and Medellín also shows how airport and transportation projects can reshape tourism over several decades.
Which destinations recorded the largest increases in international visitors?
1. Qatar – 138%
No destination on the list grew faster than Qatar. International visitor numbers climbed 138%, rising after 2.1 million arrivals in 2019 to more than 5 million in 2024.
Global coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup introduced Doha to a massive audience.
New resorts, restaurants, museums, and entertainment venues then gave visitors more reasons to return after the tournament.
Rising interest in Qatar also creates opportunities for people who want to become a travel advisor and specialize in luxury stays, major events, and Middle Eastern vacations.
Three major projects supported Qatar’s tourism expansion:
- Hamad International Airport, built for $17 billion, strengthened connections with Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
- Museum of Islamic Art added a major cultural institution focused on centuries of artistic production.
- National Museum of Qatar created a central venue for the country’s natural history, social development, and national identity.
Doha’s growth began well before the World Cup. Airport arrivals increased 992% between 2000 and 2018, showing the long-term effect of aviation capacity and tourism investment.
2. Albania – 84%
Mediterranean vacations do not have to carry Greek or Croatian prices.
Albania has gained attention through affordable accommodations, Adriatic and Ionian beaches, historic towns, and mountain scenery.
The scale of its tourism surge becomes clear in three figures:
- 4 million international visitors in 2019
- 7 million international visitors in 2024
- 20 million annual visitors targeted by 2030
Combined growth between 2019 and 2024 reached 84%. Ksamil, Sarandë, and the Albanian Riviera have become prominent summer destinations, aided by social media exposure and improved air connections.
Rapid expansion also creates practical pressure.
Roads, airports, water supplies, waste systems, and coastal development will require careful management if Albania reaches its 2030 target.
3. El Salvador – 80%
Few tourism stories are tied as closely to changing security perceptions as El Salvador’s.
International arrivals reached 3.2 million in 2024, producing 81% growth against the 2019 level.
Reported murder rates fell after reaching 106 per 100,000 people roughly a decade earlier, dropping to 1.9 per 100,000. Such a dramatic decline changed how many travelers viewed the country, even as debate continued around security policies and civil liberties.
Outdoor tourism now provides several major reasons to visit:
- Pacific Coast surf breaks support lessons, competitions, and longer surfing trips.
- Volcano routes offer crater hikes and high-altitude views.
- Coffee regions connect farm visits with mountain towns and local food.
- Waterfalls, lakes, and national parks support broader adventure itineraries.
Greater international visibility has allowed El Salvador to promote an identity centered on recreation, nature, and coastal travel.
4. Puerto Rico – 75%
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A 75% increase over 2019 placed Puerto Rico fourth in the ranking.
Easy access supports much of that growth, particularly because US citizens can travel there without a passport.
San Juan gives visitors a practical base with extensive flight connections, restaurants, nightlife, and access to other parts of the island.
Caribbean culture shaped by Spanish, African, Indigenous, and American influences adds music, food, festivals, and neighborhood traditions.
Several locations allow travelers to build trips around more than resort beaches:
- Old San Juan offers colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, plazas, and historic fortifications.
- El Yunque National Forest provides rainforest trails, waterfalls, and mountain views.
- Vieques is known for quieter beaches and bioluminescent waters.
- Culebra attracts swimmers and snorkelers seeking clear water and smaller crowds.
Tourism growth provides income for local businesses, but it also increases pressure on housing, utilities, roads, and coastal resources.
5. Bahrain – 72%
Formula One helped place Bahrain on the global events calendar, while luxury hotels, shopping, restaurants, and cultural attractions expanded its tourism market.
International visitor growth reached 72% compared with 2019.
Small geographic size works in Bahrain’s favor. Travelers can visit Manama, traditional markets, museums, waterfront districts, and archaeological sites during a short break without spending hours in domestic transit.
Regional access adds another advantage.
Visitors based in nearby Gulf countries can arrive by road or air, while international connections make Bahrain a practical stopover.
Bahrain Grand Prix creates concentrated demand for accommodations, transportation, dining, and entertainment.
Tourism outside race week relies more heavily on business travel, shopping, cultural sites, and weekend visits.
6. Saudi Arabia – 70%
Opening leisure travel to a wider international audience helped Saudi Arabia post 70% growth against 2019.
New tourist visas removed a major barrier, while large-scale investment created new accommodations, events, and visitor facilities.
Tourism planning centers on several distinct areas:
- AlUla combines archaeological sites, rock formations, desert activities, cultural events, and luxury lodging.
- Riyadh focuses on museums, entertainment districts, restaurants, business events, and urban development.
- Jeddah connects Red Sea tourism with a historic old city, art, and coastal dining.
- Red Sea resorts target diving, snorkeling, boating, beaches, and high-end stays.
Religious travel already brought millions of Muslim pilgrims into the country each year.
Leisure tourism now adds archaeology, festivals, desert excursions, city breaks, and marine activities to Saudi Arabia’s visitor economy.
Local laws and social expectations require preparation. Rapid policy changes also make current travel information important before arrival.
7. Colombia – 58%
Colombia’s international visitor total grew 58% compared with 2019.
Cartagena, Bogotá, Medellín, coffee-producing areas, Caribbean beaches, rainforests, and mountain regions support many types of trips within one country.
Cartagena centers on colonial architecture, fortified streets, nightlife, and island access.
Bogotá contributes museums, markets, cultural neighborhoods, food, and mountain viewpoints. Coffee regions add farm stays, small towns, and agricultural experiences.
Medellín demonstrates how urban transportation can support tourism and local mobility. Airport arrivals increased 354% between 2000 and 2018.
Several systems improved access across difficult terrain:
- Metro lines connected major employment and commercial districts.
- Trams extended public transit into additional neighborhoods.
- Cable cars linked hillside communities with central areas.
- Outdoor escalators improved movement in steep residential districts.
Changing international perceptions encouraged more travelers to consider Colombia, although security conditions still vary by area.
8. Curaçao – 50.86%
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Colorful Dutch-Caribbean architecture gives Curaçao a recognizable identity within the Caribbean. International visitor numbers rose 50.86% compared with 2019.
Willemstad combines brightly painted waterfront buildings, historic districts, shopping, restaurants, and harbor views.
Such an urban setting gives travelers an alternative to vacations spent entirely inside beach resorts.
Clear water and coral reefs support diving and snorkeling, including shore-access sites that do not require boat transportation. Dry conditions during much of the year also help travelers plan trips outside the Caribbean’s main hurricane belt.
Dutch, Caribbean, Latin American, African, and Jewish influences shape local language, food, architecture, and community traditions.
Cultural depth and reliable beach weather help Curaçao compete with better-known islands.
9. Turks and Caicos Islands – 50.72%
Luxury travel powered a 50.72% increase in visitors compared with 2019. Private villas, high-end resorts, clear water, and white-sand beaches attract strong demand among North American travelers.
Direct flights and relatively short travel times make the islands practical for premium Caribbean vacations.
Providenciales receives much of that traffic, with Grace Bay acting as its main tourism center.
Activities extend well past resort pools. Sailing, diving, snorkeling, fishing, and whale-watching trips give visitors access to marine environments around the islands.
Limited land creates challenges as development increases.
Water use, housing, waste management, and protection of marine ecosystems will influence how much additional growth the islands can support, like it happened with Maldives.
10. Tanzania – 48%
Wildlife, mountain climbing, and Indian Ocean beaches helped Tanzania welcome 48% more international visitors than in 2019.
Few destinations allow travelers to combine a major safari, Africa’s highest summit, and an island vacation in one itinerary.
Four locations anchor Tanzania’s international tourism market:
- Serengeti National Park draws safari visitors with large wildlife populations and annual wildebeest and zebra movements.
- Mount Kilimanjaro attracts climbers attempting to reach Africa’s highest point.
- Ngorongoro Crater concentrates wildlife inside a vast volcanic caldera.
- Zanzibar offers beaches, coral reefs, spice farms, historic streets, and coastal culture.
Many visitors pair mainland wildlife trips with several days in Zanzibar.
Such combined itineraries support safari operators, guides, hotels, transportation companies, restaurants, and coastal businesses.
Continued growth will depend on wildlife protection, responsible construction, transportation investment, and direct benefits for communities near tourism areas.
FAQs
In Conclusion
Rapid tourism growth is closely tied to improved air access, major events, safer conditions, visa reforms, and investment in hotels, transportation, and cultural attractions.
Rising visitor totals also create pressure on housing, infrastructure, public services, and natural resources.
Long-term success will depend on responsible development, environmental protection, and measurable benefits for local communities.
