Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research (EIR)

Alongside our other Insights reports, WTTC produces reports annually on the economic and employment impact of Travel & Tourism for 184 countries/economies and 28 geographic and economic regions across the world. These reports, in collaboration with Oxford Economics, are a vital tool in helping us to equip public and private sector bodies with hard evidence of the huge value Travel & Tourism brings to the economy so that their policymaking and investment decisions support our sector.

For all of our latest EIR data, please visit the WTTC Research Hub.

What is the economic impact of Travel & Tourism?

WTTC’s latest annual research shows:

9.8%

In 2025, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to global GDP totalled US$11.6 trillion. It grew at 4.1% year on year, exceeding overall global economic growth (2.8%) by almost 50%. This includes direct, indirect, and induced impacts of the sector. As a share, Travel & Tourism represented 9.8% of the global economy.

366m

Travel & Tourism is also an important source of employment. In 2025, the sector supported a total of 366 million jobs globally, which is approximately 1 in 9 jobs. The sector also accounted for 1 in 3 new jobs created globally.

3.2%

Domestic visitors spent US$5.63 trillion, growing 3.7% over the 2024 level. At the same time, spending by international visitors increased 3.2% annually to reach US$2.02 trillion.

Map of Travel & Tourism GDP and jobs by region, 2025

Recent EIR Reports and Factsheets

Below are some of our recent and popular Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research (EIR) publications. You can find many more on specific regions and economies/countries on our Research Hub.

The data for these, including historic data, gets updated every year.

Click here for links to the different economy/country and regional reports. Or use the buttons below to go to our Research Hub.

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research: Global Trends Report

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research: Global Trends Report

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research - World: Full Report

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research - World: Full Report

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research - World: Factsheet

Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research - World: Factsheet

View Our EIR reports
View Our EIR Factsheets

Why our Economic Impact Research (EIR) matters

From the inception of WTTC in 1990, our Members realised that hard economic facts were needed to help governments and policymakers truly understand the potential of Travel & Tourism. Measuring the size and growth of Travel & Tourism and its contribution to society, therefore, plays a vital part in underpinning WTTC's work.

What does an EIR report look like?

Each EIR (Economic Impact Research) report reveals the importance of Travel & Tourism to a specific economy/country or economic region in granular detail across many metrics. The report’s features include:

  • Absolute and relative contributions of Travel & Tourism to GDP and employment, international and domestic spending
  • Data on leisure and business spending, capital investment, government spending and outbound spending
  • Tables ranking the economy against other competing destinations and benchmarked against the world and regional average across various metrics
  • Charts comparing data across every year from 2015 to 2025 and 2035
  • Detailed data tables for the years 2019-2024 plus forecasts for 2025 and 2035
View Our EIR Factsheets
View Our EIR reports

What other economic impact research does WTTC carry out?

As well as producing its annual EIR reports for 184 countries/ economies and 28 regions globally, WTTC also produces an annual Global Trends report. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of the Travel & Tourism sector globally and regionally, and discussion of emerging themes and global trends in Travel & Tourism. In recent years, WTTC has also published EIR data for more than 80 cities and has benchmarked Travel & Tourism against other economic sectors. WTTC also presents thought leadership reports – often focused on a specific region or theme – that include an analysis of the economic impact of government policies affecting the sector such as investment, visa facilitation, investment and incentivising training and careers.

Visit our Research Hub to find all our Economic Impact Research reports, as well as other reports on Travel and Tourism.

What other research does WTTC produce?

On top of research into the economic impact of Travel & Tourism, WTTC also carries out research into many other topics that are crucial to the sector. Another key focus is Sustainability, which includes the areas of Environmental & Social Research (ESR), our Net-Zero Roadmap, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Destination Stewardship, and Nature Positive Tourism. We also research technology trends, diversity, specific segments – such as retail tourism - and global tourism trends.

Visit our Research Hub via the button below to find all our Economic Impact Reports, as well as other reports on Travel and Tourism.

WTTC Research Hub

More From WTTC

Travel & Tourism Environmental & Social Research (ESR)

Technology and Innovation

Sustainable Travel and Tourism

Social Impact of Travel and Tourism

Travel Facilitation and Better Borders

Regional and Sectoral Analysis