When we talk about an economic powerhouse that contributed $9.9 trillion to the world's GDP last year, we're talking about the incredible force of the global travel and tourism industry.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the Travel & Tourism sector accounted for 9.1% of global GDP, generating $9.9 trillion in economic activity
- The sector supported 27.4 million jobs worldwide in 2023, representing 9.1% of global employment
- Domestic Travel & Tourism contributed $5.3 trillion to global GDP in 2023
- Travel & Tourism's global employment share is expected to grow to 9.7% by 2034
- The sector employed 319 million people worldwide pre-pandemic in 2019
- In 2023, hotels and accommodation employed 32 million globally
- International tourist arrivals worldwide reached 1.3 billion in 2023, 88% of 2019 levels
- Europe welcomed 717 million international arrivals in 2023
- Asia-Pacific saw 362 million arrivals in 2023, 65% recovery
- International spending by tourists totaled $1.4 trillion in 2023
- US international visitor spending was $181 billion in 2023
- Global hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) averaged $92 in 2023
- 73% of global travelers plan sustainable trips by 2025
- Carbon emissions from tourism were 8% of global total in 2019
- 88% of travelers seek eco-friendly accommodations by 2024
The travel and tourism industry is a massive global economic force that supports millions of jobs.
Economic Impact
- In 2023, the Travel & Tourism sector accounted for 9.1% of global GDP, generating $9.9 trillion in economic activity
- The sector supported 27.4 million jobs worldwide in 2023, representing 9.1% of global employment
- Domestic Travel & Tourism contributed $5.3 trillion to global GDP in 2023
- International visitor spending reached $1.4 trillion globally in 2023
- In the United States, Travel & Tourism generated $2.36 trillion in economic output in 2023
- Europe's Travel & Tourism sector contributed €2.1 trillion to GDP in 2023, about 9% of the continent's total
- Asia-Pacific's sector added $3.2 trillion to GDP in 2023
- In 2019 pre-pandemic, global tourism contributed 10.4% to world GDP
- Tourism exports worldwide stood at $1.7 trillion in 2023
- The sector's total contribution is projected to reach $11.4 trillion by 2024, 11.1% of global GDP
- Leisure travel spending grew by 12% year-over-year in Q1 2024 globally
- Business travel spending recovered to 85% of 2019 levels by end of 2023
- Hotel industry global revenue hit $1.5 trillion in 2023
- Air transport passenger revenue reached $744 billion in 2023
- Cruise industry generated $77 billion in direct passenger spending in 2023
- Global tourism capital investment was $1.2 trillion in 2023
- In China, tourism contributed 11.5% to GDP in 2023
- India's Travel & Tourism GDP contribution was 6.8% or $269 billion in 2023
- Brazil's sector added 8.3% to national GDP in 2023
- Australia's tourism economy was worth AUD 166 billion in 2023
- France's tourism sector represented 7.4% of GDP in 2023
- Germany's inbound tourism revenue was €51 billion in 2023
- Japan's tourism GDP contribution hit 7.1% or ¥41 trillion in 2023
- Mexico's tourism generated 8.5% of GDP, $140 billion USD in 2023
- South Africa's tourism contributed 7.1% to GDP in 2023
- Thailand's sector accounted for 12.6% of GDP pre-pandemic, recovering to 11% in 2023
- UAE's tourism added 11.6% to GDP in 2023
- Global online travel sales reached $612 billion in 2023
- Adventure tourism market size was $366 billion in 2023
- Luxury travel market valued at $1.38 trillion globally in 2023
Economic Impact Interpretation
While nearly a tenth of humanity spends its workdays building, flying, cleaning, and serving so the other nine-tenths can escape their own perfectly good homes, the industry itself is proving it’s no mere vacation from economic reality but a $10 trillion backbone of the global economy.
Employment Statistics
- Travel & Tourism's global employment share is expected to grow to 9.7% by 2034
- The sector employed 319 million people worldwide pre-pandemic in 2019
- In 2023, hotels and accommodation employed 32 million globally
- Air transport supported 10.7 million jobs in 2023
- US Travel & Tourism employed 9.2 million Americans directly in 2023
- Europe's sector supported 26 million jobs in 2023
- Asia-Pacific tourism jobs totaled 144 million in 2023
- Indirect and induced jobs in global tourism numbered 197 million in 2023
- Women's participation in tourism employment is 53% globally
- Youth (15-29) make up 28% of tourism workforce worldwide
- Cruise industry employed 1.2 million people in 2023
- In Spain, tourism jobs represent 12.2% of total employment in 2023
- Italy's tourism sector employed 4.2 million in 2023
- UK's hospitality and tourism jobs were 3.8 million in 2023
- China's tourism employed 80 million directly in 2023
- India's sector supported 42.5 million jobs in 2023
- Brazil tourism jobs totaled 5.8 million in 2023
- Australia's tourism employed 666,000 people in 2023
- France had 2.8 million tourism jobs in 2023
- Germany's tourism employment was 3.5 million in 2023
- Japan's inbound tourism supported 5 million jobs in 2023
- Mexico's tourism employed 4.9 million in 2023
- South Africa tourism jobs were 1.05 million in 2023
- Thailand employed 5.5 million in tourism in 2023
- UAE tourism jobs reached 853,000 in 2023
- Global tour guides number over 1 million, with 20% growth post-pandemic
- Travel agencies employed 1.3 million worldwide in 2023
- Online travel agents supported 500,000 direct jobs in 2023
Employment Statistics Interpretation
The world is collectively ditching the office cubicle for a more scenic commute, as nearly one in ten global workers will soon be tourism professionals, showing that the human desire to explore isn't just a pastime but a colossal economic engine.
Revenue and Expenditure
- International spending by tourists totaled $1.4 trillion in 2023
- US international visitor spending was $181 billion in 2023
- Global hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) averaged $92 in 2023
- Airline industry total revenue reached $964 billion in 2023
- Online travel agency gross bookings were $817 billion in 2023
- Europe tourism receipts were $404 billion in 2023
- Asia-Pacific receipts totaled $435 billion in 2023
- Domestic spending in the US was $1.1 trillion in 2023
- Spain's tourism revenue hit €97 billion in 2023
- France earned €60 billion from tourism in 2023
- Italy's tourism receipts were €52 billion in 2023
- Turkey generated $54.3 billion in tourism revenue in 2023
- Thailand's tourism income was 1.43 trillion THB in 2023
- Japan's inbound spending reached ¥5.3 trillion in 2023
- Mexico earned $30.8 billion from international tourists in 2023
- UK's inbound tourism spending was £32.1 billion in 2023
- Germany's receipts totaled €51 billion in 2023
- China's domestic tourism revenue was RMB 5.72 trillion in 2023
- India's foreign exchange earnings from tourism were $28.1 billion in 2023
- Australia's total tourism spend was AUD 166 billion in 2023
- UAE tourism revenue exceeded AED 53 billion in 2023
- Global average daily hotel spend per guest was $142 in 2023
- Business traveler average spend per trip was $1,293 in 2023
- Leisure traveler spend grew 8.7% to $1,877 per trip in 2023
- Cruise passenger spend averaged $2,200 per person in 2023
Revenue and Expenditure Interpretation
International tourists poured a staggering $1.4 trillion into the global economy in 2023, proving wanderlust is the world's most reliably extravagant habit, with hotels, airlines, and entire nations happily cashing in on our collective need to escape.
Sustainability and Future Trends
- 73% of global travelers plan sustainable trips by 2025
- Carbon emissions from tourism were 8% of global total in 2019
- 88% of travelers seek eco-friendly accommodations by 2024
- Global sustainable tourism market projected to reach $235 billion by 2028
- Overtourism affected 68 cities worldwide in 2023
- Wildlife tourism generates $120 billion annually but threatens 1 million species
- 69% of travelers willing to pay more for green hotels in 2024
- Electric vehicle adoption in tourism fleets to hit 15% by 2030
- Global tourism to grow 5.8% annually to 2030, reaching 1.8 billion arrivals
- AI in travel market to reach $1.2 trillion by 2030
- Bleisure travel (business + leisure) to account for 40% of trips by 2025
- Space tourism market projected at $10 billion by 2030
- Wellness tourism to grow to $1.3 trillion by 2027
- 78% of millennials prefer sustainable travel options
- Overtourism led to 20% visitor caps in Venice by 2024
- Regenerative tourism investments reached $1.5 billion in 2023
- Global travel tech spending to hit $12 billion by 2026
- Contactless payments in travel to reach 90% adoption by 2025
- VR/AR tourism experiences market to grow 30% CAGR to 2030
- 92% of businesses plan net-zero by 2050 in tourism
Sustainability and Future Trends Interpretation
We are collectively trying to book a guilt-free trip to Mars while our planet desperately hopes we learn how to visit Venice first.
Tourist Arrivals
- International tourist arrivals worldwide reached 1.3 billion in 2023, 88% of 2019 levels
- Europe welcomed 717 million international arrivals in 2023
- Asia-Pacific saw 362 million arrivals in 2023, 65% recovery
- Americas recorded 214 million arrivals in 2023
- Middle East arrivals surged 82% above 2019 to 60 million in 2023
- Africa had 73 million international tourists in 2023, 96% recovery
- France topped with 100 million visitors in 2023
- Spain received 85.17 million international tourists in 2023
- United States had 66.5 million international arrivals in 2023
- Italy welcomed 57.25 million tourists in 2023
- Turkey saw 49.2 million visitors in 2023
- Mexico recorded 42.15 million international tourists in 2023
- United Kingdom had 39.1 million visitors in 2023
- Germany welcomed 38.8 million in 2023
- Greece received 32.5 million tourists in 2023
- Thailand had 28 million international arrivals in 2023
- Japan saw 25 million inbound tourists in 2023
- China recorded 35.5 million inbound visitors in 2023
- India welcomed 9.2 million foreign tourists in 2023
- Australia had 8.8 million visitors in 2023
- UAE received 17.15 million tourists in 2023
- Saudi Arabia saw 27 million inbound tourists in 2023
- Domestic trips in China totaled 6.22 billion in 2023
- US domestic leisure trips reached 2.4 billion in 2023
- Europe's intra-regional trips were 553 million in 2023
- Cruise passenger arrivals hit 31.7 million globally in 2023
- Adventure tourism participants numbered 2.5 billion trips in 2023
- Medical tourism arrivals were 14 million internationally in 2023
- Global outbound travel from China reached 130 million trips in 2023
Tourist Arrivals Interpretation
The world is clearly back to its old suitcase-stuffing, selfie-snapping habits, with Europe leading the herd, the Middle East throwing an exceptional comeback party, and Asia-Pacific still cautiously unpacking, while billions prove that the urge to roam—whether across an ocean or just a county line—is remarkably, and profitably, resilient.
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