Accounting for one-third of all global leisure travel spending, Europe has reinforced its position as the world’s leading leisure travel destination, Publituris reports.

New data from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Economic Impact Research (EIR) 2026 show that global spending on leisure travel in 2025 reached 6.15 trillion dollars, equivalent to just over 5.3 trillion euros, up 3.5 percent from the previous year. This represents 80.5 percent of total global travel spending.

Europe captured 2 trillion dollars, approximately 1.7 trillion euros, or one in every three dollars spent worldwide. According to the WTTC analysis, Southern European destinations account for much of this success.

“As Europe goes through another summer season marked by high demand, the region’s tourism performance reflects not only strong seasonal demand but also its long-term competitiveness,” says the WTTC.

Strong outlook

The forecast suggests this trend will continue beyond the summer months and into 2026, with Europe projected to grow by 3.7 percent, above the global average of 3.1 percent, Publituris reports.

The WTTC report explains: “This sustained growth is also supported by evolving travel patterns worldwide, with Southern European destinations increasingly benefiting from redirected demand from other regions, further strengthening their competitive position.”

Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of the WTTC, emphasises that Europe “continues to set the pace for global leisure tourism, capturing a third of all spending globally and demonstrating the strength, diversity and resilience of its tourism sector.”