Travel and tourism worldwide - statistics & facts
The global travel and tourism sector has undergone profound transformations over the last few decades, driven by the rise of the online travel market, the increasing role played by travel apps and mobile bookings, and the recent impact of artificial intelligence on travel. What has certainly not changed is people’s desire to plan their next trip, making the travel and tourism market one of the most competitive in the world. In 2024, travel and tourism's total contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) was approximately 11 trillion U.S. dollars, making up a 10 percent share of the total global GDP.
What are the main global tourism destinations?
When breaking down the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP by country, the United States and China ranked as the leading travel markets worldwide. That said, France was the destination with the highest number of inbound tourists worldwide, both before and after the pandemic. France's capital city, Paris, was also home to one of the most visited museums in the world, the Louvre, with nearly nine million visitors in 2024.
What are the leading online travel companies?
The global online travel market generated over 650 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2024, a figure that was forecast to grow steadily in the following years, exceeding the trillion-dollar mark by 2030. Some of the leading companies in the online travel market are Booking Holdings Inc. and Expedia Group, which use fare aggregators and metasearch engines to help their consumers find their preferred travel-related products and services. Meanwhile, Airbnb, one of the largest online marketplaces for short- and long-term homestays, has taken the accommodation world by storm since its founding over 15 years ago.
How important is sustainable tourism?
The United Nations report "Transport-Related CO₂ Emissions of the Tourism Sector" found that tourism was a significant contributor to climate change. Nowadays, a growing number of tourists have begun recognizing the negative impact their trips can have on affected regions. As a result, more and more global travelers believe in the importance of sustainable tourism and green choices. A 2025 survey revealed that over 80 percent of travelers worldwide believed that sustainable travel was important. However, this concern for the world's climate has not affected the growth of the tourism industry, which has rebounded since the pandemic and has seen annual growth in spending every year since.
