The least visited countries in the world (such as Samoa)
Infinite beaches of white sand, turquoise blue seas, palm trees dancing in the sun... That is usually the profile of the least visited countries in the world , which are almost always pristine islands in which we would retire for all eternity.
So why aren't they the queens of our Instagram? The reasons usually have to do, above all, with accessibility . It is wonderful to relax on a lost beach, but perhaps it is so, so lost that, as was the case with The Grenadines until 2017 , has no airport for miles around. Or maybe bad press precedes it, like Sierra Leone or Timor , territories with a very convulsive past that are only now gradually opening up to tourism.
THE DATA
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) each year issues a report summarizing the situation of this sector in the world. In its latest edition, that of 2019 -made with numbers of 2018 -, the data seems optimistic: the number of international tourists increases by 5% compared to the previous year (which stands at 1.4 trillion), and the profits generated by these also rose 4%, causing the sector to evolve above the world economy.
Samoa, an unexplored orchard
The fastest growing markets are Asia and Africa , which increased their number of tourists by 7%, while in Europe and the Middle East this figure remained at 5%, and in America, it rose by 2%. Of course, in the global computation, it is Europe that dominates: more than half of the tourists who travel around the world have the old continent as their destination. 25%, meanwhile, land in Asia and the Pacific, while America makes up 15% of the total and Africa, 5%.
The most travelers in the world, on the other hand, are Europeans: they alone account for almost half of the trips made in the world. It is followed by Asia and the Pacific, which emit the remaining 26% of tourists, together with the Americas (17%) and the Middle East (3%) and Africa (3%). Of the remaining 3% of tourists, their origin has not been registered.
**WHY DO WE TRAVEL? **
According to the UNWTO, to "change": we seek authenticity and transformation by trying live like the locals . Also to show it to the world through Instagram and to pursue a healthier existence (through wellness and sport experiences).
Other trends in this field? The growth of collaborative economy apps, solo travel and multigenerational and the increase in our sustainable awareness, especially in relation to the use of plastic and the climate crisis.
We look for authentic experiences
However, despite the efforts of Greta Thunberg, The preferred means of transport worldwide is the plane. . So much so that air traffic increased by 6% in 2018 -although there are countries, such as Sweden, where it seems to be on the decline-. Land transport, meanwhile, has dropped from 49% to 39% from 2000 to 2018.
WHERE DO WE TRAVEL?
A France , always: this country continues to lead the world podium as the preferred destination for ordinary mortals, with 89 million tourists in 2018. It is closely followed by Spain, with 83, while the USA covers third place with 80. After they, China (63 million), Italy (62), Turkey (46), Germany (39), Thailand (38) and the United Kingdom (36) close the top ten. Everyone, yes, faces the dangers of overtourism.
Y... where do we not travel? To the countries that we show you below, which show the lowest registered number of overnight stays in 2018 (there are several countries that do not provide this data to the UNWTO). His photos will make you dream of little paradises yet to be discovered, far from everything and everyone.