Europe Now Accounts for One-Third of Global Leisure Travel Spending
WTTC data shows Europe captured $2 trillion in leisure travel spending in 2025, with Italy, Spain, and Türkiye forecast to outpace global growth in 2026.
Photo: Reuben McFeeters / Unsplash
Europe accounted for roughly one-third of all leisure travel spending worldwide last year, with Southern European destinations helping drive the region’s performance and expected to remain among its fastest-growing markets in 2026.
New data from the World Travel & Tourism Council shows global leisure travel spending reached $6.15 trillion in 2025, an increase of 3.5% year over year. Leisure trips represented 80.5% of total global travel spending, with $2 trillion spent in Europe alone—equivalent to about $1 of every $3 spent on leisure travel worldwide.
France, Spain, Italy, and Türkiye remain among the region’s strongest tourism markets, supported by international demand, broad air connectivity, and travelers arriving from a diverse mix of source markets. Leisure spending increased 3.6% in France in 2025, while Spain recorded 2.6% growth and Italy 2.2%.
The momentum is expected to continue into next year. WTTC forecasts European leisure travel spending will grow 3.7% in 2026, compared with projected global growth of 3.1%. Italy is expected to post the strongest increase among the major Southern European markets, at 4.7%, followed by Spain at 4.3% and Türkiye at 4.1%. France is forecast to grow 2.6%.
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“With summer travel at its peak, Europe continues to set the pace for global leisure tourism, capturing one-third of all spending worldwide and demonstrating the strength, diversity, and resilience of its tourism sector,” said WTTC president and CEO Gloria Guevara.
The figures come as popular European destinations continue to grapple with the pressures that accompany sustained tourism demand, particularly during the peak summer season. Guevara said continued investment will be necessary to accommodate further growth.
“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,” she said.
WTTC’s Economic Impact Research is produced with Oxford Economics. The organization noted that its 2026 forecasts reflect economic and geopolitical conditions at the time of publication, including assumptions about inflation, energy prices, and consumer demand, and that they could change as those conditions evolve.
