Europe accounted for one-third of global leisure travel spending in 2025, attracting $2 trillion as destinations across Southern Europe continued to benefit from strong international demand, according to new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

The figures, from WTTC’s 2026 Economic Impact Research (EIR), show global leisure travel spending reached $6.15 trillion in 2025, an increase of 3.5% year over year.

Leisure travel represented 80.5% of total global travel expenditure, with $1 of every $3 spent on leisure travel worldwide going to Europe.

WTTC pointed to France, Spain, Italy and Türkiye as some of the most sought-after summer destinations globally, supported by international demand, diverse source markets, tourism offerings and strong connectivity.

The organization’s data also showed continued leisure spending growth across several major European destinations in 2025. France recorded growth of 3.6%, followed by Spain at 2.6% and Italy at 2.2%.

That momentum is expected to continue into 2026, with leisure spending in Europe forecast to grow by 3.7%, ahead of the projected global average of 3.1%.

Italy is forecast to record the strongest growth among the highlighted Southern European destinations, with leisure spending expected to increase by 4.7%. Spain follows at 4.3%, Türkiye at 4.1% and France at 2.6%.

WTTC said changing global travel patterns are also supporting the region’s performance, with Southern European destinations increasingly benefiting from demand redirected from other regions.

“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,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC President and CEO.

“The outlook for 2026 shows Europe is well positioned to continue leading global Travel & Tourism.”

For more information, go to www.wttc.org.

Source: Travelweek