In September 2024, the European and American tourism markets exited the summer high travel season and entered an autumn off-peak phase marked by slower growth, according to a report from eu.36kr.com. Traditional coastal destinations in these regions experienced declines in passenger numbers, while demand for urban cultural tours, short-distance mountain excursions, and luxury off-peak vacations remained stable.
US Inbound Tourism Declines Amid Seasonal Transition
The United States received 17.75 million inbound visitors from its 20 largest overseas source markets during January to September 2024, falling 4.7% compared to the same period last year. The European market showed the most significant downturn among these sources. The National Travel
and Tourism Office (NTTO) of the U.S. Department of Commerce projects 70.5 million international arrivals for the entire year 2026.
September traditionally marks the transition from summer to autumn in the U.S., with the Labor Day holiday boosting domestic short-distance trips. However, long-haul transoceanic arrivals decreased sharply compared to the June to August World Cup summer peak. Eastern cities such as New York and Boston launched autumn-themed cultural tours, and celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. founding shifted toward localized historical exhibitions, sustaining interest among international cultural tourists. Preparations also began for the International Balloon Festival in New
Mexico.
Canadian Tourism Increased by Business Travel and Cross-Border Shopping
Canada recorded 5.3 million international inbound visitors in September 2024, up 9.5% year-on-year. Growth was driven primarily by overseas air arrivals, particularly transatlantic business travel and conferences in Toronto and Vancouver. According to preliminary data from Statistics Canada, combined air and land inbound visitors reached this figure. Cross-border same-day car travel from the U.S. also rebounded, aided by a weaker Canadian dollar and revived cross-border shopping.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority reported a 78% load factor in premium cabins on core North American business routes in September, 5 percentage points higher than in 2019. This indicates a strong recovery
in corporate travel and face-to-face business meetings.
Spain, Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand Show Mixed Tourism Trends
Spain welcomed 9.7 million international tourists in September 2024, a 0.8% year-on-year increase, with consumption reaching 13.364 billion euros, rising by 6%. The National Statistics Institute of Spain (INE) reported that cumulative tourist arrivals from January to September totaled 76.5 million, up 3.5% year-on-year, setting a record high. Tourist expenditure for the nine months reached 105.828 billion euros, a 7% increase. The increase in spending was attributed mainly to longer stays and higher daily spending, while the per capita consumption for September was stable at 1,455 euros, and average daily consumption increased by
1.9% to 202 euros.
Australia saw a rebound in domestic travel to natural landscape destinations coinciding with its spring season in September. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of short-term inbound tourists in the 2025-26 fiscal year reached 9.1 million, marking an 8.3% rise from the previous year, maintaining five consecutive years of growth, though still below the 2018-19 peak. Month-on-month inbound arrivals increased slightly in September with notable growth in bookings from Chinese tourists for the National Day holiday. Tourism Australia concentrated on promoting spring natural scenery, self-drives, and winery vacations particularly targeting the Chinese market.
Hotel bookings rose in Melbourne, Sydney, and Gold Coast. However, high domestic travel costs and accommodation prices limited further growth in tourist numbers.
Malaysia recorded 2.26 million international tourists in September 2024, a 12.1% increase year-on-year. The cumulative total for January to September reached 17.12 million, achieving 71% of its annual target. The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia identified Singapore, China, and Indonesia as the top source markets. The increase in cross-border flight capacity contributed to a surge in Chinese tourist bookings, primarily for island vacations and urban leisure. Malaysia also expanded electronic visa-free registration and promoted
cultural heritage and ecotourism products to disperse demand beyond traditional coastal spots.
Thailand received roughly 21.62 million foreign tourists from January to September 2024, a 2.8% decline from the previous year, generating about 1,045 billion baht in tourism revenue. China resumed its position as Thailand’s largest source market, with approximately 3.642 million Chinese tourists during the period. Other top markets included Malaysia, India, Russia, and South Korea. Inbound flows improved month-on-month in September, driven by long-haul Chinese tourists with pre-booked travel. The Tourism Authority of Thailand launched promotions focusing on cultural tours in Chiang Mai and island vacations in Phuket.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival and China’s National Day holidays, approximately 250,000 Chinese tourists were expected to visit Thailand, generating tens of billions of baht in revenue.
China’s Mid-Autumn Festival Travel and Industry Reshuffle
During China’s Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from September 25 to 27, 2024, cross-regional travel reached 643.161 million person-times, up 2.2% from the previous year, with an average daily movement of 214.387 million person-times. The number of international inbound and outbound tourists totaled 6.709 million during this period. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China released its “15th Five-Year Plan” in September to enhance the country’s tourism power by improving inbound tourism facilitation, optimizing visa-free
policies, expanding international routes, and upgrading payment and foreign language services for visitors.
Online travel platforms reported continued high year-on-year growth in inbound tourism bookings for September, with preferences shifting toward cultural experiences and in-depth county tours. The departure tax refund business expanded, and the consumption activities of inbound tourists diversified beyond sightseeing and shopping to include intangible cultural heritage experiences, healthcare, and study tours.
September 2024 also saw major leadership changes in Chinese cultural tourism enterprises. On September 4, Tuo Bicai was appointed Director and General Manager of Zunyi Tourism Industry Development Group and Zunyi Transportation and Tourism Investment
Group. On September 10, Zhang Dehui resigned as Chairman of Huangshan Tourism, with Jiang Mao succeeding him as Chairman and Fang Yingjian appointed President. China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Group appointed Shi Dai as Chairman on September 11, 2024.
