Europe accounted for one dollar in every three spent on leisure travel worldwide in 2025, taking $2tn of a global total that reached $6.15tn, according to data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), published on August 17, seen by Emerging Travel.
The figures cement Southern Europe’s place as the sector’s growth engine, with Italy, Spain, Türkiye and France set to outpace the global average into 2026, a concentration of demand that carries both commercial opportunity and mounting pressure on the region’s most-visited destinations.
Global leisure travel spending rose 3.5% year-on-year in 2025 to $6.15tn, making up 80.5% of all travel expenditure, the WTTC said in its 2026 economic impact research, produced with Oxford Economics and sponsored by Chase Travel. Europe’s $2tn share held the region as the world’s leading leisure market.
France, Spain, Italy and Türkiye remained among the most sought-after summer destinations, the council said. Leisure spending grew 3.6% in France, 2.6% in Spain and 2.2% in Italy over 2025.
Europe is forecast to expand 3.7% in 2026, against a global average of 3.1%. Italy is projected to lead with a 4.7% rise in leisure spending, followed by Spain at 4.3%, Türkiye at 4.1% and France at 2.6%.
Southern European destinations were increasingly benefiting from demand redirected from other regions, the council said, strengthening their competitive position.
“Southern Europe remains the engine of this growth,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC president and chief executive. Destinations such as Spain, Italy, France and Türkiye continued to draw strong international demand through their visitor experiences, connectivity and competitive tourism offerings, she said.
Guevara said destinations needed to keep investing in infrastructure, connectivity and sustainable tourism management to support future growth and maintain their competitiveness.