It was a year that was to mark the post-pandemic recovery of travel, bringing economic relief to local communities that had been hit hard by the prolonged loss of tourism revenue. Borders fully reopened, pandemic restrictions were lifted and traveler bookings surged, sparking a social media trend called “revenge travel.” But even as demand in 2023 reached near 2019 levels — with an estimated 975 million tourists traveling internationally between January and September, according to the World Tour
This year "took chaos to a new level," said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst for Atmosphere Research. "It seems that the world is on fire and the travel industry and travelers are affected by all of these disruptions everywhere."
For many travelers and local residents who rely on tourism dollars, this year was an ‘annus horribilis,’ with disasters, upheavals and unparalleled weather events devastating top travel destinations across the globe.