Digitalization and AI set to drive global tourism growth in 2025

Global tourism destinations are set to shift from recovery to growth in 2025, with total international travel increasing by 12.4% compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, according to a report by Fitch Solutions, a subsidiary of Fitch Ratings, Azernews reports.

Fitch Solutions believes that the digitalization of visa procedures and the introduction of AI-based solutions will be key drivers of tourism growth, as markets look beyond pre-pandemic levels. These technologies will help boost arrivals both in the short and long term. Streamlining the visa application process will make travel more accessible, attracting tourists from both traditional and emerging key markets.

According to Fitch Solutions, e-visas have already proven effective by speeding up application processing, reducing visa issuance times and queues, and increasing the length of stay for travelers.

“In 2025, we expect AI to be used more in visa application systems to further improve efficiency and create opportunities to increase the number of arrivals. AI will reduce visa refusals, while the availability of data will accelerate marketing campaigns and strengthen tourism promotion strategies. These technologies will also increase security by detecting fraud,” the report says.

Overall, 2024 saw the acceleration and development of electronic visa schemes worldwide. This has reduced queues and simplified the application process, ultimately creating favorable conditions for markets seeking to recover from the pandemic and increase international arrivals. Thus, visa digitization and AI solutions are becoming integral to global tourism strategy, contributing to the sector's sustainable growth.