Europe was the most visited region in the world in 2025. But a look at the most sought-after countries shows that the strongest growth is primarily taking place outside of Europe.
Feb 16, 2026, 4:24 p.mFeb 16, 2026, 4:24 p.m
Global travel is increasing: with over 1.5 billion trips in 2025, it is almost back to pre-pandemic levels. International arrivals rose by 4 percent worldwide, very close to the average growth of around 5 percent per year before the pandemic (2009-2019).
But it’s not just the well-known tourism hotspots that are in demand. Europe remains the most visited region in the world with almost 800 million entries. However, the largest increases are outside Europe: Brazil, Bhutan, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Seychelles are recording strong growth rates.
What could be the reason:
Brazil
No other travel destination grew as strongly as Brazil last year. Targeted government measures may have played a major role in this: new international flight connections were set up and the new routes were actively promoted.
In addition, past major events such as the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, the 2014 Soccer World Cup, the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in 2025 and the upcoming Women’s Soccer World Cup in 2027 have also contributed to making Brazil more widely known.
One of the most popular festivals in the world: Carnival in Brazil. Image: keystone
Signs of mass tourism can be seen in certain regions such as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo or the Iguazu Falls. But the problems with mass tourism are not the same as in Europe, a tourism expert tells BBC. Brazil has more than 9,000 kilometers of coastline and a huge hinterland.
Bhutan
The long-isolated kingdom of Bhutan first opened its borders to tourism in the 1970s, but always focused on quality over quantity. The 30 percent increase in visitor numbers seems to contradict this strategy.
Bhutan is known for prioritizing the well-being of its people over pure economic growth. Instead of just looking at GDP, the country relies on what is known as gross national happiness.
The Paro Valley in western Bhutan.
Against this background, Bhutan is pursuing a sustainable approach: tourists pay a daily fee of currently 100 US dollars, which flows into infrastructure, facilities and services for locals and visitors.
Egypt
Egypt is recording tourism growth of 20 percent. An important reason for this is probably the opening of the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum near the pyramids of Giza. After around 20 years of construction, the museum opened last year.
It is considered the largest archaeological museum in the world. It offers space for over 100,000 exhibits, including the complete collection of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
Selfie in front of the Great Sphinx of Giza.Image: keystone
In addition, according to the BBC, more and more families with their children and women are traveling alone to Egypt. This is attributed to the improved security situation in the country.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia saw a 15 percent increase in international visitors in 2025. After several years of declining numbers due to the conflict in Tigray, flights to the north resumed in 2023. A year later, interest in traveling increased significantly.
Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.Image: Shutterstock
There are good reasons for this: the country has improved accessibility, including with the “Visit Ethiopia platform” (2025). New hotels and better services have further boosted demand.
A travel expert raves to the BBC: “Ethiopia is one of the world’s richest destinations for experiencing archaeology, anthropology and natural history.”
Seychelles
Seychelles recorded a 13 percent increase in arrivals. This makes the archipelago one of the fastest growing travel destinations in Africa. The country’s tourism ministry attributes this to close collaboration between the public and private sectors, targeted marketing and a commitment to quality.
Anse Source d’Argent is a beach on the southwest coast of La Digue in the Seychelles. Image: Shutterstock
Where are you going to travel this year?
(cst)