SINGAPORE, 20 April 2026: The US remained the largest Travel & Tourism market in the world in 2025, but is losing market share according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest Economic Impact Research, sponsored by its Lead Research Partner, Chase Travel.
While 2025 saw the best year ever for the Travel & Tourism sector, with GDP growth of 4.1%, the story was very different for North America, which was the slowest-growing region globally, rising just 1%, and by only 0.9% in the US.
80 million more people travelled internationally in 2025 than in the previous year, yet they chose different destinations. US visitor numbers declined by 5.5% compared with 2024, and international visitor spending fell by 4.6% to USD176 billion.
While the US continues to lead in scale, contributing USD2.63 trillion to global GDP, WTTC highlights that the country is now at a crossroads in its tourism development.
With the right actions, it has a significant opportunity to restore international visitor spending, sustain job creation, and strengthen its global leadership — particularly as competition intensifies from fast-rising markets in the Asia Pacific, such as China.
In 2025, the Travel & Tourism sector in the US supported 20.4 million jobs, up 1.2% year-on-year, and added approximately 242,000 new jobs, a positive signal for both the sector and the wider economy. Domestic visitor spending remained strong at USD1.54 trillion, up 0.3% year-on-year and 14.3% above pre-pandemic levels.
Sustaining this momentum will depend on increasing investment and promoting the US as a rebuilding force to revive international demand, changing perceptions, and ensuring the US remains competitive as a global destination.
With the country set to co-host major football events in 2026, WTTC highlights a significant and immediate opportunity. The FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the US, should attract around 1.24 million international visitors, offering a powerful platform to showcase the American experience and convert visitors into promoters of travel to the US.
China, the world’s second-largest market, is rapidly gaining ground, with Travel & Tourism contributing USD1.75 trillion to GDP in 2025, up 9.9% year-on-year and supporting 84.6 million jobs (+2.0%). Both international visitor spending (up 10.5% to USD 135 billion) and domestic spending (up 10.7% to USD 890 billion) recorded strong gains.
This momentum reflects the broader strength of the Asia-Pacific region, now the fastest-growing Travel & Tourism region globally. The region’s GDP grew 8.2% in 2025 to reach USD3.29 trillion, with several markets outperforming the global average, led by Malaysia (11.2%) and the Philippines (10.8%), followed by China (9.9%), India (7.3%), and Indonesia (7.2%).
WTTC, President & CEO Gloria Guevara said: “The US remains the largest Travel & Tourism market in the world and has an amazing foundation. To avoid losing its leadership position, the US. must invest in promoting its attractiveness, both in international markets and during the summer of football; change perception and position the US as a welcoming destination; and grow international visitor spend, encouraging stopovers and new experiences.”
Chase Travel CEO Jason Wynn said: “WTTC’s latest research shows the US Travel & Tourism sector continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience, supporting millions of jobs and driving trillions of dollars in economic growth, even amid global headwinds. With the US set to host a series of global events through 2028, we have an extraordinary opportunity to welcome new visitors and bring travellers from around the world closer together, fostering meaningful connections across countries and communities.”
”At Chase Travel, we are committed to being the go-to partner and provider for both domestic and international travel, leveraging our world-class marketplace to empower travellers, advisors, and partners to elevate every trip and drive lasting growth for the industry.”
(Source: WTTC)
