According to the WTTC report, global travel and tourism spending exceeded $1 trillion in 2025, marking an 8.5% increase compared with the previous year. The sector as a whole outperformed the global economy, contributing a record $11.6 trillion to global GDP. The United States, China, India and Saudi Arabia accounted for nearly half of global travel and tourism capital investment in 2025, contributing approximately $500 billion.
China’s ambition to become a global tourism powerhouse is supported by five-year plans and a travel and tourism investment portfolio projected to reach $402 billion by 2036. India’s rapidly expanding transportation network, destination development programs and strategic investments are also helping shape some of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets.
Spain Generates $130 Billion in Revenue
The report identified Spain as a standout country in Europe. Travel and tourism accounted for 15.3% of Spain’s national GDP, while international visitor spending generated $130 billion in revenue.
The report also noted that Indonesia is expected to become one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets over the next decade, while the Netherlands is projected to record the strongest growth in travel and tourism capital investment in Europe. Rwanda, meanwhile, continues to strengthen its position as one of Africa’s fastest-growing leisure tourism economies.
The report also highlighted Germany, home to Europe’s largest travel and tourism sector; Malta, which recorded the fastest post-pandemic tourism recovery in the European Union (EU); Singapore, one of the world’s leading business travel destinations; and Thailand, which is expected to record one of the strongest increases in visitor spending in Southeast Asia.
