Dive Brief:
- Global travel and tourism’s economic contribution reached a record $11.6 trillion in 2025, significantly outpacing global economic growth, according to new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council and Chase Travel.
- The sector’s economic contribution increased 4.1% year over year in 2025, exceeding overall global economic growth, which totaled 2.8% for the same period, according to WTTC. Also in 2025, travel and tourism accounted for one in three new jobs created globally, per the organization.
- Compared to other global markets, North America’s travel and tourism industry saw significantly slower growth, with GDP increasing just 1% year over year in 2025, “reflecting continued challenges in international visitor recovery,” according to WTTC. Specifically, in the U.S., a decline in international visitation negatively impacted the hotel industry in 2025.
Dive Insight:
The volume of global travel in 2025 contributed to the sector’s growth, WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara noted in a release. According to Guevara, last year saw 1.54 billion international overnight arrivals, equivalent to 4.2 million people traveling every day.
The regional imbalance between North America’s travel and tourism sector and other global markets, however, “highlights how policy, investment and international openness continue to shape the pace of growth across global markets,” according to WTTC.
Last May, the organization reported that the U.S. was on track to lose $12.5 billion in international visitor spending in 2025 as international traveler confidence weakened, exacerbated by U.S. government actions under President Donald Trump.
Weakened international inbound travel to the U.S. had an impact on major hotel companies, which posted widespread U.S. RevPAR declines in the latter half of 2025. CoStar subsequently reported in January that U.S. hotel occupancy and RevPAR fell year over year in 2025 for the first time since 2020.
Uneven growth of the travel and tourism sector across global markets also signals that affordability and capacity constraints are dictating where and how people choose to travel, Chase Travel CEO Jason Wynn said in a statement. Increasing financial caution across all income levels has the potential to stall travel this year, according to a February Deloitte report.
In the current environment, it will be critical for the travel industry to deliver seamless end-to-end journeys; expand access and connectivity; and invest in smarter, more flexible travel experiences, Wynn said. Meanwhile, governments around the world “must recognise Travel & Tourism as a strategic priority and continue enabling policies that support growth, investment, and connectivity,” Guevara said.
In the U.S., the American Hotel & Lodging Association is among other hospitality organizations advocating for policy actions that will drive international inbound travel ahead of major upcoming events, including the FIFA World Cup.
