As global travel rebounds, the fastest growth is happening beyond the usual tourism heavyweights – from Ethiopia to Bhutan.
More than 1.5 billion international tourists travelled abroad in 2025, setting the stage for a record-breaking 2026. According to the latest World Tourism Barometer published by UN Tourism, international arrivals grew 4% globally, beginning to match the pre-pandemic growth average of around 5% per year between 2009 and 2019.
While Europe remained the world’s most visited region, welcoming nearly 800 million arrivals and posting a solid 6% growth over 2024, the destinations recording the fastest growth were not the usual headliners. Brazil saw arrivals surge by 37%, Egypt by 20%, Ethiopia by 15% and Bhutan by 30%. Even the Seychelles, a tiny archipelago off East Africa, recorded a 13% increase.
“These countries fall into a growing category of high-identity, emerging destinations that are no longer niche but not yet saturated,” said Steven Vigor, CEO of travel advisory firm Revigorate. “More travellers are now drawn to distinctive culture, landscapes and the possibilities of discovery, so countries with a strong identity and decent access are clear winners.”
To understand what’s driving this shift – and how destinations are managing the influx while staying mindful of overtourism – we spoke with tourism authorities and industry operators across several of the fastest-growing countries.
Egypt
With a 20% jump in international arrivals over 2025, Egypt emerged as one of the strongest performers in the Middle East, a region that has seen some of the world’s fastest post-pandemic tourism growth. According to tour operators, the biggest driver has been the long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Pyramids of Giza.
