Tourists in Italy. Photo: Shutterstock Europe continues to dominate the global leisure travel market, capturing around one-third of all worldwide leisure travel spending in 2025 as millions of travelers head to the continent for their summer holidays.
New 2026 data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), sponsored by Chase Travel, shows that global leisure travel spending reached $6.15 trillion in 2025, an increase of 3.5% from the previous year. Leisure travel accounted for 80.5% of total global travel expenditure.
Europe attracted approximately $2 trillion of that spending, meaning roughly one in every three dollars spent globally on leisure travel went to destinations across the continent.
Southern Europe remains particularly important to the region's tourism strength, with France, Spain, Italy and Türkiye continuing to rank among the world's most popular summer destinations. Strong international demand, extensive air connectivity and a broad range of tourism experiences are helping these countries maintain their appeal.
The growth is not limited to the peak summer season. Leisure spending increased across several major European markets in 2025, with France recording growth of 3.6%, Spain rising 2.6% and Italy increasing 2.2%.
The WTTC expects Europe's tourism momentum to continue throughout 2026. The region's leisure travel spending is forecast to grow by 3.7%, ahead of the projected global growth rate of 3.1%.
Naples, Italy. ShutterstockItaly is expected to record the strongest increase among the major Southern European destinations, with leisure spending forecast to rise 4.7%.
Marbella, Spain. Photo: ShutterstockSpain follows with projected growth of 4.3%, while Türkiye is expected to increase by 4.1% and France by 2.6%.
“With summer travel at its peak, Europe continues to set the pace for global leisure tourism, capturing one-third of all spending worldwide and demonstrating the strength, diversity and resilience of its tourism sector,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO.
She highlighted Spain, Italy, France and Türkiye as key drivers of growth, pointing to their visitor experiences, connectivity and tourism offerings.
Guevara also stressed the importance of continued investment in infrastructure, connectivity and sustainable tourism management as European destinations prepare for further growth.
For travelers, the figures point to another strong year for European tourism, with Southern European countries expected to remain among the continent's biggest draws well beyond the traditional summer holiday period.