Travel and tourism sees best year ever and emerges as the world’s fastest growing sector, outpacing the global economy in 2025

Travel & Tourism has strengthened its position as the world’s fastest-growing sector in 2025, with new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Chase Travel, Lead Research Partner, revealing the sector significantly outpaced global economic growth.

Global Highlights
- GDP Contribution: Travel & Tourism reached a record US$11.6 trillion, accounting for 9.8% of the global economy.
- Growth Rate: Sector grew 4.1%, outpacing global economic growth (2.8%) by nearly 50%.
- Jobs: Supported 366 million jobs worldwide (10.9% of total employment). That’s 1 in 3 new jobs created globally in 2025.
- International Travel: 1.54 billion overnight arrivals — about 4.2 million people traveling every day.

Regional Outlook
- Asia-Pacific: Fastest-growing region, with 8.1% GDP growth (US$3.29 trillion). Driven by reopening momentum, strong demand, and connectivity.
- North America: Slower growth at 1.0% (US$3.05 trillion). Challenges in international visitor recovery and mature market dynamics.
- Europe & Others: Moderate growth, highlighting uneven recovery across markets.

Leadership Insights
- Gloria Guevara (WTTC CEO):
> “Despite the global challenges of 2025, the Travel & Tourism sector had its best year ever… contributing an unprecedented US$11.6 trillion to the global economy.”

- Jason Wynn (Chase Travel CEO):
Emphasized reacceleration of demand, with travelers seeking meaningful, intentional experiences. Highlighted affordability and capacity constraints shaping travel choices.

Strategic Implications
- Governments urged to treat Travel & Tourism as a strategic priority.
- Focus areas: investment, connectivity, sustainability, and inclusivity.
- Industry leaders stress the need for seamless end-to-end journeys and flexible travel experiences.

This report positions Travel & Tourism not just as a recovery engine, but as a cornerstone of global economic progress moving forward.