Southern Europe drives travel spending growth

Europe captured $2trn of global leisure travel spending in 2025, equivalent to one in every three dollars spent worldwide, according to new 2026 data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), sponsored by Chase Travel.

Global leisure travel spending reached $6.15trn last year, rising 3.5% year on year and accounting for 80.5% of total travel expenditure. Southern Europe remained central to the region’s performance, with France, Spain, Italy, and Turkey continuing to attract strong international demand.

Leisure spending rose 3.6% in France, 2.6% in Spain, and 2.2% in Italy in 2025. WTTC expects Europe’s growth to accelerate to 3.7% in 2026, ahead of the 3.1% global average.

Italy is forecast to lead growth among major European destinations, with leisure spending projected to increase 4.7%, followed by Spain at 4.3%, Turkey at 4.1%, and France at 2.6%.

“Southern European destinations increasingly benefit from demand redirected from other regions, further strengthening their competitive positioning,” WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said.

For travel insurers, the sustained growth highlights the importance of supporting travellers across Europe’s increasingly busy tourism markets, particularly during the peak summer season, while the continent’s rising wildfire risk is increasing pressure on insurers to manage disruption.