Valetta, Malta. Photo: Shutterstock Europe’s Travel and Tourism sector is expected to grow by 3.1% in 2026, according to the latest research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), released as the organization’s 26th Global Summit opens in Malta.
The forecast puts Europe ahead of the wider global economy and above the sector’s 2.6% growth recorded across Europe in 2025. Globally, Travel and Tourism is forecast to grow by 2.5% this year.
International visitor spending in Europe is expected to rise by 5.8% in 2026, while leisure travel spending is forecast to increase by 3.1% and business travel spending by 4.2%, according to WTTC.
WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said the sector continued to show resilience despite geopolitical challenges. She noted that Travel and Tourism contributed US$11.6 trillion to the global economy in 2025, equivalent to 9.8% of global GDP, while supporting 366 million jobs.
In Europe, the sector supports around one in 10 jobs, highlighting its importance to economies and communities across the region.
Guevara said Europe’s growth outlook also underlined the need for governments to focus on connectivity, seamless travel, workforce development and sustainable growth.
The summit is taking place under the theme FUTU[RE]SET, with government and industry leaders expected to discuss investment, connectivity, artificial intelligence, technology, workforce development, destination competitiveness and sustainability.
Malta is also highlighting its own tourism performance during the summit. WTTC forecasts that Travel and Tourism will contribute US$4.9 billion to Malta’s economy in 2026, equivalent to 16.9% of the country’s GDP, while supporting more than one in five jobs.
According to WTTC, Malta recorded the strongest annual increase in Travel and Tourism’s contribution to GDP among European economies in 2025, with growth of 16.8%, compared with a European average of 2.6%.
The figures were released as more than 1,000 delegates gathered in Valletta for the WTTC Global Summit, including more than 200 Travel and Tourism CEOs and government leaders. More than 100 speakers are taking part in the event.
Among those attending are former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas and Nick Adams, the first U.S. Presidential Envoy for Tourism.