Tourism's economic impact
What does your trip mean in the big picture? When you book a trip, you're doing more than planning a vacation. You're entering an international, multi-trillion-dollar travel industry that's responsible for global economic impact, job creation, and community growth here and abroad.
This article will explore the international economic impact of tourism in 2025, which countries need tourism the most, how many people are employed in the travel industry, where your trip currently helps the most — and why — and more.
Understanding the strength of our travel options can allow many of us to make better choices when we decide where to go. This will not only inform you about where you should potentially be traveling but also how your simple, physical presence in another country, monetary contribution, or interest can significantly impact another person's life.
And maybe a few other stunning statistics and surprises along the way. Which countries we'd never think are connected to travel, actually are? What's the size of the travel industry relative to what's outside of us? Where could we all be traveling next based on projected growth and popularity trajectories?
Let's find out!
Tourism contributes to the global economy, generating more than ten trillion dollars and creating more than three hundred million jobs. It drives direct revenue to many industries: retail, hospitality, and transportation.
The main metric in tourism’s economic impact assessment is its contribution to global GDP.
Now you know that when you travel, your shopping choices have a real impact. Choosing local markets, small shops, and artisan stalls helps support the community while giving you access to better deals, unique finds, and a more authentic experience than typical commercial stores offer.
Analyzing tourism’s contribution to GDP by country, we see that tourism contributes to more than 20% of GDP for some countries while others receive less than 1%.
Some destinations rely heavily on your visit, literally. Aruba, Macao, and the Bahamas receive over 15–20% of their entire economies from tourism, which means that every time you visit for a vacation, you're creating jobs and opportunities and preserving livelihoods.
Being aware of this can help you travel with more purpose. When you visit countries where tourism plays a major role, your spending carries extra weight. Even small choices, like dining at a local restaurant and booking with community-based operators, can make a huge difference for local economies.
Europe remains the world’s most tourism-driven region. Every trip you take to Europe supports a wide web of local businesses, cultural sites, and jobs across the continent.
Every trip you take supports real people behind the scenes—from hotel staff and guides to drivers, chefs, and artisans. Knowing how many people rely on tourism for work can help you see the full impact of your travel choices and inspire you to travel in ways that support local communities.
As we see, the role of tourism in employment generation for these countries is hard to overestimate.
Seeing that India leads global tourism employment with nearly 30 million jobs reminds us that scale and population size matter—but it's also a reflection of how deeply tourism is woven into daily life there. In places with high tourism employment, you’ll often find rich service cultures, diverse offerings, and people eager to share their local knowledge. As a traveler, this can guide you toward destinations where your presence creates meaningful opportunities and where you’re likely to receive warm, personalized experiences in return.
Tourism is on track to employ 449 million people by 2034, and that growth brings exciting possibilities for travelers too. As the industry expands, we’ll see more unique and specialized experiences: eco-adventures, cultural retreats, and off-the-beaten-path escapes.
Destinations that were once too far or too expensive to access may become a norm for the general population, with more jobs and amenities offered to more travelers. What might have been a fantasy destination could be a quick train ride or a few hours by plane away!
Tourism is one of the largest industries on the planet, fueling $11.1 trillion in GDP and supporting 348 million jobs. For us as travelers, that means we’re part of something truly global—our vacations help power entire economies. And as the industry keeps growing, we can expect better travel options, improved services, and more opportunities to explore the world in ways that are meaningful, affordable, and more connected than ever before.
It’s interesting to see that the most visited countries aren’t always the ones earning the most. France has the highest number of international arrivals, while the U.S. earns the highest in international tourism revenue. First of all, it means that more tourists do not mean higher revenues. Also, this means there's no single perfect destination for a traveler. You can be frustrated with big crowds or prices chasing only the most sought-after destinations. And if you go to less-traveled countries, you could experience a richer culture for less money.
Fact-checked
Last reviewed: April 22, 2025
Last updated: April 22, 2025
Licensed under CC BY 4.0
This article will explore the international economic impact of tourism in 2025, which countries need tourism the most, how many people are employed in the travel industry, where your trip currently helps the most — and why — and more.
Key facts:
- Global tourism contributed $11.1 trillion to the global GDP in 2024, making up 10% of the global GDP.
- Tourism contributed 8% of the U.S. economy in 2024, adding $2.36 trillion to the GDP.
- In 2024, the tourism industry supported 348 million jobs worldwide, accounting for 1 in 10 jobs globally.
Understanding the strength of our travel options can allow many of us to make better choices when we decide where to go. This will not only inform you about where you should potentially be traveling but also how your simple, physical presence in another country, monetary contribution, or interest can significantly impact another person's life.
And maybe a few other stunning statistics and surprises along the way. Which countries we'd never think are connected to travel, actually are? What's the size of the travel industry relative to what's outside of us? Where could we all be traveling next based on projected growth and popularity trajectories?
Let's find out!
How does tourism help the economy?
Tourism contributes to the global economy, generating more than ten trillion dollars and creating more than three hundred million jobs. It drives direct revenue to many industries: retail, hospitality, and transportation.
The main metric in tourism’s economic impact assessment is its contribution to global GDP.
How does tourism contribute to the economy?
- In 2024, global tourism added $11.1 trillion to the GDP, representing 10% of the world’s economy.
Is the travel industry growing?
- Global tourism's GDP contribution increased from $9.9 trillion in 2023 to $11.1 trillion in 2024, a growth of $1.2 trillion in one year.
- Tourism's share of global GDP rose from 9.1% in 2023 to 10% in 2024, showing its stronger role in the world economy.
- Tourism employment grew by 5.5% in 2024, rising from 330 million to 348 million jobs worldwide.
Now you know that when you travel, your shopping choices have a real impact. Choosing local markets, small shops, and artisan stalls helps support the community while giving you access to better deals, unique finds, and a more authentic experience than typical commercial stores offer.
Tourism GDP by country
Analyzing tourism’s contribution to GDP by country, we see that tourism contributes to more than 20% of GDP for some countries while others receive less than 1%.
Some destinations rely heavily on your visit, literally. Aruba, Macao, and the Bahamas receive over 15–20% of their entire economies from tourism, which means that every time you visit for a vacation, you're creating jobs and opportunities and preserving livelihoods.
Being aware of this can help you travel with more purpose. When you visit countries where tourism plays a major role, your spending carries extra weight. Even small choices, like dining at a local restaurant and booking with community-based operators, can make a huge difference for local economies.
Tourism GDP by region
- Tourism contributes 4% of Europe's GDP, the highest regional share in the world.
Europe remains the world’s most tourism-driven region. Every trip you take to Europe supports a wide web of local businesses, cultural sites, and jobs across the continent.
How many people are employed by the tourism industry?
Every trip you take supports real people behind the scenes—from hotel staff and guides to drivers, chefs, and artisans. Knowing how many people rely on tourism for work can help you see the full impact of your travel choices and inspire you to travel in ways that support local communities.
Top 10 countries by employment in the tourism industry
As we see, the role of tourism in employment generation for these countries is hard to overestimate.
- India's travel industry employs 29.7 million people, making it one of the largest in the world.
- Japan has 5.6 million workers in the tourism sector, highlighting its strong travel economy.
- The Philippines' tourism industry supports 5.35 million jobs, a major driver of employment in the country.
Seeing that India leads global tourism employment with nearly 30 million jobs reminds us that scale and population size matter—but it's also a reflection of how deeply tourism is woven into daily life there. In places with high tourism employment, you’ll often find rich service cultures, diverse offerings, and people eager to share their local knowledge. As a traveler, this can guide you toward destinations where your presence creates meaningful opportunities and where you’re likely to receive warm, personalized experiences in return.
Tourism employment growth projection
- Tourism employment is projected to reach 449 million jobs by 2034.
Tourism is on track to employ 449 million people by 2034, and that growth brings exciting possibilities for travelers too. As the industry expands, we’ll see more unique and specialized experiences: eco-adventures, cultural retreats, and off-the-beaten-path escapes.
Destinations that were once too far or too expensive to access may become a norm for the general population, with more jobs and amenities offered to more travelers. What might have been a fantasy destination could be a quick train ride or a few hours by plane away!
How big is the travel and tourism industry?
- Tourism drives a massive share of the global economy, with $11.1 trillion in GDP and 348 million jobs, it contributes to one-tenth of global spending and employment.
Tourism is one of the largest industries on the planet, fueling $11.1 trillion in GDP and supporting 348 million jobs. For us as travelers, that means we’re part of something truly global—our vacations help power entire economies. And as the industry keeps growing, we can expect better travel options, improved services, and more opportunities to explore the world in ways that are meaningful, affordable, and more connected than ever before.
Top 10 tourist countries in the world
Which country has the most tourists per year?
- France was the world's top tourist destination in 2023, welcoming 100 million visitors.
- Spain ranked second in global tourism with 85.2 million arrivals in 2023.
- The United States saw 66.5 million international tourists in 2023, making it the third most-visited country.
Tourism income by country
- The United States led the world in tourism revenue in 2023, earning $175.9 billion.
- Spain ranked second in global tourism earnings, generating $92 billion in 2023.
- The United Kingdom collected $73.9 billion from tourism in 2023, making it the world's third-highest earner.
It’s interesting to see that the most visited countries aren’t always the ones earning the most. France has the highest number of international arrivals, while the U.S. earns the highest in international tourism revenue. First of all, it means that more tourists do not mean higher revenues. Also, this means there's no single perfect destination for a traveler. You can be frustrated with big crowds or prices chasing only the most sought-after destinations. And if you go to less-traveled countries, you could experience a richer culture for less money.
Conclusions
- When you look at the full picture, it’s clear that the world of travel is shifting—and you can use that to your advantage. Increased tourism demand and widespread opportunity mean you're part of a new travel generation that boasts variety, better service, and access to areas that may have once been unavailable. We encourage you to visit underrated destinations. These save money and promote cultural exposure and value that over-traveled locations—sold out and saturated with tourists cannot offer.
- Many of the most popular places are becoming expensive and commercial, while quieter regions remain authentic, welcoming, and full of untapped potential. Traveling to these places now allows you to have a much better experience and a purpose. A few years from now, they might become the new hotspots while today’s tourist magnets could lose their popularity and become cheaper. With an eye toward the future, you can save money, engage more, and be ahead of the curve as a traveler.
- Every time you travel, you become part of something much bigger than your itinerary. Tourism contributes 10% of the world’s GDP, meaning your spending has real weight—especially in countries where travel makes up a large slice of the economy. In places like Croatia, Vietnam, or Morocco, a single trip can directly support local jobs, businesses, and families. You're not only giving someone a job; your money can keep food on their table, schooling for their children, and be their source of income. Where you spend your money matters more than you think.
- To travel with more purpose, look for ways to keep your money in the local economy. Stay in guesthouses with local owners instead of international corporate hotels, eat at family-owned local restaurants instead of chains, find local tour guides instead of bus tour guides, and buy locally made crafts instead of cheap souvenirs. When you purposefully invest like this, you create a domino effect of empowerment that travels far beyond your time spent. It also creates for you a personally enriching experience in situations where you'd be able to skim the surface otherwise.
Sources
- The 20 countries with the largest gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024 - Statista
- U.S. Remains the World’s Most Powerful Travel & Tourism Market - WTTC
- Number of travel and tourism jobs worldwide from 2019 to 2023, with a forecast for 2024 and 2034 - Statista
- Global and regional tourism performance - UN Tourism
Fact-checked
Last reviewed: April 22, 2025
Last updated: April 22, 2025
Licensed under CC BY 4.0
