International travel fell 65pc in first half of 2020: UN

International tourist arrivals plunged 65% in the first half of 2020 compared to last year, data from the World Tourism Organization showed, translating into an estimated $460 billion loss in export revenues. Just over half of destinations eased travel restrictions by early September but a return to 2019 levels of tourism could take between two to four years, according to the Madrid-based United Nations' tourism body. A total of 440 million international arrivals were lost between January and June this year, with Asia and the Pacific the hardest-hit region at 72% less tourists than last year. Europe saw a 66% drop in arrivals, compared to a 57% decline in Africa and the Middle East and 55% in the Americas.