ROME, 1 October 2025: During its 25th Global Summit in Rome on Monday, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) launched its latest report, revealing that Europe remains the beating heart of international tourism, with five of the world’s top 10 most powerful travel and tourism markets by GDP.
The return of the WTTC Global Summit to Europe, for the first time since the Covid pandemic, reflects the region’s enduring global leadership.
Italy’s position as a G7 nation and as host of this year’s Global Summit further underscores its leadership role, building on its hosting of last year’s first-ever G7 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting.
According to the latest data, Italy’s travel and tourism sector reached USD248.3 billion last year, underpinned by strong international visitor spend and a booming meetings and events industry.
Germany, the world’s third-largest travel and tourism market, contributed USD525 billion to its GDP in 2024.
Despite losing USDP2.2 billion in international visitor spending last year, the UK added USD367 billion to its economy, maintaining its position as one of the strongest and most dynamic markets worldwide.
France, the world’s most visited destination, generated over USD289 billion from travel and tourism in 2024, whilst Spain, the second most visited country in the world, added USD270 billion.
This broad-based growth demonstrates Europe’s ability to blend heritage with innovation, maintain global competitiveness, and lead the way in sustainable tourism development.
WTTC Interim CEO Gloria Guevara said: “These results tell a story of strength and opportunity. The US remains the world’s largest travel and tourism market, China is surging back, Europe is powering ahead, and destinations across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa are delivering record growth. This year, we are forecasting that our sector will contribute a historic USD2.1 trillion in 2025, surpassing the previous high of USD1.9 trillion in 2019, by USD164 billion.
“As Italy hosts this year’s Global Summit, its role as a G7 leader showcases the importance of tourism in driving economies, creating jobs, and shaping our shared future.”
Around the World
The report also reveals that the US remains the world’s most powerful travel and tourism market, contributing USD2.6 trillion to GDP in 2024, with its domestic market remaining the strongest in the world, sustaining millions of jobs and underpinning sector resilience.
However, WTTC forecasts international visitor spending in the US will fall by USD12.5 billion in 2025, leaving growth at just +0.7%. WTTC has warned that without destination promotion, traveller-friendly policies, and reduced visa costs, it could lose its competitive edge.
China, the world’s second-largest travel and tourism market, contributed USD1.64 trillion to its economy in 2024, and is forecast to surge by 22.7% in 2025, adding USD260 billion to its economy, highlighting China’s rapid return to international prominence and its pivotal role in shaping global travel flows.
Japan, the world’s fifth-largest tourism economy with a USD310.5 billion contribution in 2024, is forecast to add a further USD13.8 billion to its GDP this year to reach almost USD325 billion.
Travel and tourism are now growing faster than the consumer goods sector, indicating that people are increasingly valuing experiences over material goods.
The Economic Impact Research Trends report indicates that travel and tourism are solidifying their position as a cornerstone of the global economy.
Middle East momentum
The Middle East remains one of the fastest-growing regions in the world for travel and tourism, with Saudi Arabia continuing to stand out as a global powerhouse, as inbound visitor spend surges and infrastructure investment reaches record levels.
Across the region, capital is flowing into airports, cruise terminals, and cutting-edge hospitality projects, signalling long-term confidence in its ambition to become a global tourism hub.
Jobs boom worldwide
According to the report, Travel & Tourism supported 357 million jobs in 2024 and is projected to rise to 371 million in 2025, accompanied by an increase in the sector’s share of global employment.
By 2035, one in eight jobs worldwide will be supported by travel and tourism, with an additional 91 million new jobs supported, the majority in the Asia-Pacific region, resulting in one in three new jobs globally endorsed by the sector.
