The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed its latest Economic Impact Research (EIR): Global Trends Report, highlighting the critical role of investment and supportive policies in driving the next phase of global Travel & Tourism growth.
The report, sponsored by Chase Travel, WTTC’s Lead Research Partner, found that global Travel & Tourism investment surpassed $1 trillion in 2025, increasing 8.5% year-on-year.
The sector also outperformed the wider global economy, contributing a record $11.6 trillion to global GDP.
WTTC said continued investment is essential for strengthening destinations, improving connectivity, creating jobs and supporting long-term economic growth.
The report identified the US, China, India and Saudi Arabia as leading investment markets, collectively accounting for nearly half of global Travel & Tourism capital investment in 2025, with almost $500 billion in combined contributions.
China’s expanding tourism ambitions, supported by national development plans and a projected Travel & Tourism investment pipeline of $402 billion by 2036, are helping position the country as a global tourism powerhouse.
India is also experiencing rapid growth through improved connectivity, destination development initiatives and an open investment environment.
In the US, infrastructure investment, strong domestic travel demand and upcoming global events, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, are expected to support continued sector expansion.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme is driving one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism investment strategies through major destination developments, policy reforms and significant public and private sector investment.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said: "The message from this research is clear: investment and growth go hand in hand. The destinations and economies making long-term commitments to Travel & Tourism today are positioning themselves to capture tomorrow's jobs, visitor spending, and economic opportunities. Travel & Tourism has once again proven its resilience and its ability to outperform the wider economy. As governments and investors look for engines of sustainable growth, our sector continues to deliver returns through employment, infrastructure development, and prosperity for communities around the world."
The report also highlighted countries that have successfully
prioritised tourism as a strategic economic sector.
Spain was identified as a leading example, with Travel & Tourism contributing 15.3% of national GDP, generating $130 billion in international visitor spending and supporting one in seven jobs.
WTTC attributed Spain’s success to government initiatives, including €3.4 billion in EU recovery funding focused on tourism sustainability, digitalisation and infrastructure, along with its Spain Tourism Strategy 2030.
Other markets highlighted for strong tourism growth include Indonesia, which is expected to become one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets; the Netherlands, forecast to record Europe’s strongest growth in tourism capital investment; and Rwanda, which continues to expand as a leading African leisure tourism destination.
The report also recognised Germany as Europe’s largest Travel & Tourism market, Malta for its rapid post-pandemic recovery, Singapore for its global business travel position and Thailand for projected visitor spending growth in Southeast Asia.
Looking ahead, WTTC forecasts that Travel & Tourism could contribute $17.1 trillion to the global economy by 2036 while supporting nearly 89 million additional jobs.
The organisation said governments can unlock further growth by creating policies that encourage travel, strengthen business confidence and support infrastructure development.
Despite ongoing geopolitical and economic challenges, WTTC said the sector’s long-term outlook remains strong, with rising demand, increased investment and greater recognition of tourism’s economic importance creating opportunities for job creation, destination development and sustainable prosperity worldwide. -TradeArabia News Service