Global tourism continues to grow and attract investment in infrastructure, connectivity and destination development. According to the new Economic Impact Research – Global Trends Report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), investment in the travel and tourism sector exceeded $1 trillion in 2025, representing an 8.5% increase compared with the previous year. The sector contributed a record $11.6 trillion to global GDP. An exceptional performance that is playing an increasingly significant role in driving economic growth and employment.
Investment is being led primarily by the United States, China, India and Saudi Arabia, which, according to WTTC report, accounted for almost half of global travel and tourism investment in 2025, with a combined value of nearly $500 billion. The four countries have embarked on long-term investment strategies aimed at strengthening competitiveness and attracting visitors.
China, for example, is pursuing its ambition to become a global tourism powerhouse through successive Five-Year Plans and a tourism investment pipeline expected to reach $402 billion by 2036. India is moving in the same direction, accelerating the development of connectivity and destinations, while in the United States major international events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, are expected to be key drivers of growth. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is implementing one of the world’s most ambitious tourism investment programmes through its Vision 2030 initiative, which includes major destination development projects, investor-friendly reforms and substantial financial commitments from both the public and private sectors.
Fast-growing destinations
Among the success stories analysed in the report is Spain, where tourism accounts for 15.3% of GDP, generates around $130 billion in international visitor spending and supports one in every seven jobs. WTTC attributes these results to sustained government action, including €3.4 billion in European recovery funds allocated to tourism sustainability, digitalisation and infrastructure, policies aimed at diversifying tourism throughout the year and across different destinations, as well as the implementation of the Spain Tourism Strategy 2030, an intergovernmental roadmap designed to strengthen the sector’s long-term competitiveness.
The report also identifies other markets with strong growth prospects, including Indonesia, the Netherlands, Rwanda, Germany, Malta, Singapore and Thailand, which are expected to play an increasingly important role in the development of international tourism in the coming years.
“Investment and growth go hand in hand,” said Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC. “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”.
Growth prospects for the next decade
Despite geopolitical uncertainty and economic challenges that will continue to influence the global landscape, the outlook for the sector remains highly encouraging. According to WTTC forecasts, by 2036 travel and tourism could contribute $17.1 trillion to the global economy and support almost 89 million new jobs, confirming its role as one of the main drivers of global economic growth.
Achieving these results, however, will require more than a recovery in demand: continued investment in infrastructure, innovation and destination development will be essential, while at the same time creating a favourable environment for businesses and travellers.
For this reason, WTTC is calling on governments and investors to maintain a strong focus on the sector, recognising its strategic role in the global economy. The organisation is urging the implementation of policies that facilitate travel, support business confidence and encourage new investment. These actions will be essential to making destinations more competitive, attracting a growing number of visitors and generating tangible benefits in terms of employment and regional development.
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