2022 Expectation in Global Tourism

Cyprus International University (CIU) School of Tourism and Hotel Management Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Orhan Uludağ, within the scope of the Tourism Week celebrations, evaluated the expectations from the 2022 season which started to be celebrated the second week of April.

Uludağ stated that many travel restrictions related to Covid-19 are still in effect this year, and that Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the current economic uncertainties may also create pressure on tourism. Yet, despite many incidents in 2022, a rapid acceleration has been achieved in the sector.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Uludağ pointed out that despite all these negativities, according to the latest data available, international tourist arrivals on a global scale more than doubled (+130%) in January 2022 compared to 2021, adding, “In the first month of this year, 18 million visitors were registered worldwide. This number is equal to the number of travelers in 2021.”

Underlining that the Russia-Ukraine war brought new challenges to the current global economic environment, and in this context, the continuation of the war affected the confidence in global travel, Uludağ said the airspace of Ukraine and Russia was closed due to the ongoing war, and also that intra-European travel was significantly affected because many European countries banned Russian airlines.

Uludağ said this situation also causes deviations in long-haul flights between Europe and East Asia, “which means longer flights and higher costs. In addition, fluctuations in oil and exchange rates adversely affect domestic and global flights.”

Uludağ stated that despite all the negativities experienced in the global context, tourism started to recover in the beginning of March and said, “As a result, we can say that tourism activities will be in a better position in 2022 in the light of the aforementioned factors from a global perspective”.