Tourism activity in Europe and America decelerated in September 2024 as the regions transitioned into the autumn off-peak season, while the Asia-Pacific region experienced notable growth in international visitor arrivals and tourism revenue. Data from multiple official sources detail shifts in travel patterns across continents, highlighting a divergence in recovery speed.
Europe and America Enter Off-Peak Season with Mixed Trends
Traditional coastal destinations in Europe and America saw decreased passenger flows in September 2024 as tourism moved away from the summer peak period. Despite this, demand remained steady for urban cultural tours, short-distance mountain travel, and upscale vacations targeting niche travelers. The 20 largest overseas markets to the United
States recorded 17.75 million inbound visitors from January to September, declining 4.7% year-on-year, with the most concentrated drop seen in European markets, according to NTTO data.
The U.S. tourism sector’s September shift featured a steep reduction in long-haul transoceanic tourists after the summer surge driven by the World Cup. Labor Day boosted domestic short-haul trips and inbound travel from nearby countries. Eastern U.S. cities such as New York and Boston introduced autumn cultural tours, and preparations for the International Balloon Festival in New Mexico commenced. The 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States evolved into smaller-scale local historical exhibitions, maintaining
cultural visitor interest.
Canada’s inbound international arrivals reached 5.3 million in September 2024, up 9.5% from the previous year. Growth was propelled mainly by overseas air arrivals and business travel, highlighted by strong transatlantic conference activity centered in Toronto and Vancouver. Statistics Canada reported a rebound in same-day car crossings from the United States, reflecting currency shifts and renewed cross-border shopping. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority noted that September’s premium cabin load factor on core North American business routes hit 78%, surpassing 2019 levels by five percentage points, indicating a recovery in business travel.
Spain welcomed 9.7 million international tourists
in September 2024, marking a slight 0.8% increase year-on-year. The National Statistics Institute of Spain reported that tourist spending grew 6% to 13.364 billion euros, outpacing visitor number growth. From January to September, total arrivals reached 76.5 million, a 3.5% increase, with cumulative tourism consumption rising 7% to 105.828 billion euros. Per capita spending stood at 1,455 euros in September, while daily average consumption increased 1.9% to 202 euros, driven mainly by longer stays and higher daily expenditures.
Asia-Pacific Markets Show Strong Recovery
Australia saw a slight monthly increase in short-term international arrivals in September, bringing fiscal year 2025-26 totals to 9.1 million inbound tourists,
up 8.3% year-on-year, though still below the 2018-19 peak. The Australian Bureau of Statistics pointed to growing bookings from the Chinese market for the National Day holiday. Domestic natural landscape destinations gained renewed popularity with spring’s arrival. Melbourne, Sydney, and the Gold Coast reported month-on-month hotel booking gains in anticipation of National Day visitors. Despite overall growth, accommodation costs and travel expenses remain constraints limiting further traffic expansion.
Malaysia received approximately 2.26 million international tourists in September 2024, rising 12.1% year-on-year, with cumulative arrivals hitting 17.12 million for January-September, achieving 71% of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s annual
goal. Singapore, China, and Indonesia ranked as the top source markets. Malaysia expanded cross-border flight capacity and electronic visa-free registration options, supporting growth. The surge in Chinese travel bookings mid-September reflected strong demand for island vacations and urban leisure products. The country also focused on promoting cultural heritage and ecotourism to reduce pressure on traditional coastal hotspots.
Thailand’s inbound tourism warmed in September, driven by pre-booked arrivals from China ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports reported 21.62 million foreign visitors from January to September, a 2.8% decrease year-on-year, with tourism revenue
reaching roughly 1,045 billion baht. China resumed as Thailand’s leading source market with about 3.642 million visitors. Malaysia, India, Russia, and South Korea ranked second through fifth. The Tourism Authority promoted cultural tours in Chiang Mai and island vacations in Phuket targeting Chinese tourists, expecting around 250,000 arrivals during the holiday generating tens of billions of baht in revenue.
China’s Mid-Autumn Festival Travel Volume and Policy Updates
During China’s three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday (September 25–27), cross-regional travel reached 643.161 million person-times, a 2.2% year-on-year increase. The total inbound and outbound travel involving foreign countries totaled 6.709 million person-times, as reported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In
September, the ministry released the ’15th Five-Year Plan’ for tourism power construction, aiming to enhance inbound tourism facilitation, optimize visa policies, expand international air routes, and improve foreign language services and payment systems for visitors.
Online travel platforms indicated sustained year-on-year growth in bookings for inbound tourism products in China during September 2024. There was rising interest in cultural experiences and detailed county-level tours. Tourism consumption by inbound tourists diversified beyond traditional shopping and sightseeing to intangible cultural heritage activities, health care, and study tours.
Senior Management Changes in China’s Cultural Tourism Sector
Several key leadership changes occurred in China’s cultural tourism companies in September 2024. On September
4, the Zunyi Municipal Government appointed Tuo Bicai as Director and General Manager of Zunyi Tourism Industry Development Group and Zunyi Transportation and Tourism Investment Group, replacing Wang Hang. On September 10, Huangshan Tourism accepted Chairman Zhang Dehui’s resignation, appointing Jiang Mao as Chairman and Fang Yingjian as President. China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Group named Shi Dai as Chairman on September 11, concurrently removing her from previous roles at China Merchants Group.
