// ECONOMIC SECURITY: TOURISM AND CULTURE
Sustainable tourism and the next phase of global growth
As the travel sector rebounds unevenly across regions, its future will hinge on balancing economic recovery with climate and resource constraints
Gloria Guevara, president and CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council
H aving returned to lead the World Travel & Tourism Council in 2026, I find the sector at a historic cross- roads. Our latest Economic Impact Research confirms that 2025 was a land- mark year for the sector, with global travel and tourism contributing a record $11.6 trillion to the world economy. This represents significant year-on-year growth of 4.1%, bringing the sector’s global gross domestic product contribu- tion to 9.8%. These figures underscore the sector’s continued strength and its critical role in driving global economic growth. Nota- bly, the Asia-Pacific region recorded the strongest travel and tourism GDP (8.1%) of $3.29 trillion for 2025, with growth driven by reopening momentum, rising international demand and strong regional connectivity. Yet, as we gather strength for the years ahead, we must rec- ognise that growth without sustainability is a house built on sand.
366 mn jobs supported by travel and tourism worldwide in 2025 $ 11.6 trn contributed to the world economy by global travel and tourism
THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable travel is no longer a niche interest, but rather the fundamental bedrock of global prosperity. The industry has taken note, with its global green- house gas emissions falling 9.3% in 2024 since 2019. This decline reflects a reduc- tion in emissions intensity (emissions per unit of economic output), dropping 15%
68 // G7 FRANCE: THE ÉVIAN SUMMIT 2026
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online