Travel Hit $11.6 Trillion in 2025 — and One in Three New Jobs

Travel and tourism contributed US$11.6 trillion to the global economy in 2025 — 10 per cent of global GDP — and supported 366 million jobs, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. And since the pandemic, one in every three new jobs created worldwide has come from this sector.

That was the headline WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara delivered at the Railbookers Summit in Vancouver, followed by a media roundtable attended by Travel Weekly's Nancy Hromin. Railbookers President Frank Marini introduced her as the most impressive CEO he has ever met.

"If travel were a country, we would be the third-largest economy in the world," Guevara said.

Is travel still growing?

Yes, despite conflict, extreme weather and geopolitical upheaval. "Every week we are hearing something new, something different. But despite all of that, we continue growing," Guevara said. "We are in the best sector. People love to travel."

Visitors spent US$2 trillion on international travel and US$5 trillion domestically last year. Global growth ran close to 4 per cent, led by Asia Pacific at 8 per cent, followed by the Middle East.

WTTC forecasts a record US$11.9 trillion contribution this year — 2.5 per cent growth, just ahead of the global economy at 2.4 per cent, with domestic travel up 3 per cent. International growth has softened because of conflict in the Middle East, which handles one in seven international flights.

Asia Pacific leads because governments are removing visa barriers and adopting technology. "If you have been in Asia Pacific lately, you use biometrics, you are in and out of airports," Guevara said.

What is China doing?

China is set to become the world's largest outbound market by spend this year, and WTTC expects it to overtake the US as the world's biggest travel economy within about eight years.

"They don't make big announcements. But when you look at what they have done, it's impressive," Guevara said.

The details:

• China has quietly removed visa requirements for around 50 nationalities.
• Biometrics now operate at airports and rail stations, with AI translation and easy visitor payments — Guevara linked her American Express card to Alipay and bought ice cream from a street vendor.
• The domestic market runs to roughly five billion trips a year; Chinese citizens can now travel abroad freely to approved destinations, spending heavily and moving into luxury.
• China's train terminals are "very, very sophisticated — they look like airports," and its high-speed trains outpaced anything she has ridden in Europe.
• At a Beijing conference, delegates received glasses showing live subtitled translation in 10 languages; taxi drivers routinely use AI to speak with visitors. "You don't see that in some places in Europe yet," she said.

Is India next?

"What we saw from China in the last five years, you're going to see in India in the next five," Guevara said. Domestic demand is so strong that hotels sell out, while inbound arrivals sit at only about 20 million. Indians are already the top visitor nationality in the Middle East and travelling to Europe in growing numbers, though visas remain a barrier. Destination weddings are booming — hotels in Mexico are booked out for six-day celebrations. WTTC's Global Summit heads to Delhi next year.

What about dispersal and the South?

Guevara said WTTC has "a small number" of Australian members and wants more, having held its Global Summit in Perth a couple of years ago. She noted Italy's Prime Minister said around 94 per cent of travellers visit just 6 per cent of the country. "We know the answer, and this is planning," she said — planning that brings together the public sector, the private sector and communities. Latin America and Africa hold "huge potential."

What do crises teach?

WTTC's analysis of 90 crises over 20 years found geopolitical events hit travel hardest. Before COVID, the worst was 9/11, which took more than three years to recover from because security protocols varied between countries. Destinations that look after stranded travellers see them return faster — the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman housed and rerouted passengers during the recent regional conflict. Is the world ready for another pandemic? "Sadly, no."

On flight shaming, Guevara rejected stopping flights as the answer to travel's 8 per cent share of global emissions, noting food waste alone accounts for 8-10 per cent. "Do we agree we need to reduce emissions? Absolutely, yes. Do we agree we need to stop flying? No," she said, pointing out that when travel to developing countries stopped during COVID, illegal deforestation and wildlife trafficking rose.