Europe accounted for one-third of global leisure travel spending in 2025, attracting $2 trillion as Southern European destinations continued to drive demand, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) latest Economic Impact Research. The findings point to continued growth for Europe, with Italy, Spain and Türkiye forecast to outperform the global leisure travel average in 2026.
Global leisure travel spending reaches $6.15 trillion
Global leisure travel spending reached $6.15 trillion in 2025, increasing 3.5 per cent year-on-year and representing 80.5 per cent of total global travel expenditure.
Europe captured approximately $1 of every $3 spent on leisure travel worldwide, reinforcing the region’s importance to the international tourism economy.
The research, produced by WTTC in partnership with Oxford Economics and sponsored by lead research partner Chase Travel, found several major Southern European destinations maintained leisure spending growth during 2025.
France recorded growth of 3.6 per cent, followed by Spain at 2.6 per cent and Italy at 2.2 per cent.
Southern Europe set to lead growth
WTTC expects Europe’s leisure travel spending to grow 3.7 per cent in 2026, ahead of forecast global growth of 3.1 per cent.
Italy is projected to record the strongest increase among the highlighted markets, with leisure spending forecast to rise 4.7 per cent. Spain follows at 4.3 per cent and Türkiye at 4.1 per cent, while France is forecast to grow 2.6 per cent.
For the Australian travel trade, continued demand for established European destinations signals resilience in a region that remains central to long-haul leisure itineraries. Strong connectivity and the breadth of tourism products across Southern Europe continue to underpin the market.
WTTC also said changing global travel patterns are directing additional demand towards Southern European destinations.
Investment needed to sustain tourism growth
WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said Europe’s performance reflected the strength and diversity of its tourism sector, with Southern Europe remaining a key growth engine.
“With millions of travellers currently holidaying across the continent, it is essential that destinations continue investing in infrastructure, connectivity and sustainable tourism management to support future growth and maintain their global competitiveness,” Guevara said.
The outlook also highlights the challenge facing popular destinations as visitor numbers and expenditure grow. Investment in infrastructure, transport capacity and destination management will be important if Europe is to translate strong demand into sustainable long-term tourism growth.
WTTC noted that its 2026 forecasts are based on economic and geopolitical conditions at the time of publication, including assumptions around inflation, energy prices and consumer demand, meaning projections may change as global conditions evolve.
