Although tempers have cooled after the war in Iran and the doubts about what impact it will have on the sector, in general international tourism is experiencing its ‘roaring 20s’. Families have come out of the pandemic break wanting to pack their bags and get to know new countries, something that has not taken long to be noticed by the UN tourism observatory, which last year registered an increase of 4% in the flow of international travel, as in the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which estimates that the sector represents almost 10% of global GDP.
The increase, however, has not been equally strong around the world. What’s more, WTTC itself has noted important differences in the two large economies of the sector, the US and China, which could precipitate a surprise historical.
I like to travel. The world has emerged from the pandemic with a desire to travel. Many. It is a trend that has already been noted in 2024when pre-COVID levels were recovered, and has continued to consolidate over time, which explains, for example, that Spain is bordering on the historical barrier of the 100 million travelers a year or that Japan gives clear samples of saturation.
According to the latest calculations of the WTTC, 2025 was “the best year in history for the sector”, at least as far as economic growth is concerned. Its contribution to world GDP exceeded 10.7 billion eurosabout 10% of the global economy, and supported almost one in ten jobs worldwide. These are compelling data not only because of their scope, but also because of the trend they show: in general the tourism sector is growing more than the international economy.
The US slows down. The ‘photo’ is not, however, equally good in everyone. The WTTC technicians have noticed a weight loss in the main economy tourism on the planet, the American one. Although the country governed by Trump remains “the largest travel and tourism market in the world”, the truth is that it is losing market share. The data is resounding: while the sector grew at 4.1% overall, in North America that percentage was four times lower (1%). In fact, it was the “slowest growing region in the world.” The balance was even worse in the US, with an increase of 0.9%.
A key fact: 5.5%. “In 2025, eighty million more people took international trips compared to the previous year, although they chose other destinations. The number of American visitors decreased by 5.5% compared to 2024 and spending by international visitors decreased by 4.6%, reaching $176 billion,” they point out those responsible for the WTTC.
His analysis joins others that in recent months have warned of a setback in the flow of foreign tourists arriving in the US and the loss of attractiveness in key markets. For example, the country’s Department of Commerce registered in 2025 a drop of 20.9% at the entrance of visitors from Canada. In 2024 it had already registered a decline, but of only 1.3%.
Why is it important? For what it means for the American tourism industry. And for its implications in the sector worldwide. As the WTTC reminds us, today the US continues to be the economy that more money moves thanks to tourism and travel, with a notable advantage over the second On the list, China: the US moves at 2.63 trillion dollars while the Asian giant is around 1.75 trillion. How has the US achieved that weight in the sector? Thanks to two legs: the local market, the trips that Americans make when traveling from one city or state to another, and the arrival of foreign visitors.
If we look at the latest reports from the US Travel Association and the WTTC, the first leg continues to respond well. In 2025, Americans they accounted for 87% of the country’s tourism business and increased their contribution to the sector. Their spending was 14.3% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Things change, however, when we look at the arrival of tourists from other countries: their flow was reduced by around 2.3% and their spending indicators are also not good when compared to those the country managed before COVID.
Losing “hook”. This loss of attractiveness among foreigners coincides with a hardening of the conditions to enter the US and news about arrests in airports, which even led some European embassies to give guidelines to its citizens to avoid surprises with their visas. Another key factor was the international policy deployed by the White House, which strained relations with countries such as Canada and Denmark. The decisions made by the Trump administration soon gave rise to campaigns that advocated boycotting American products, something that was felt in tourism.
In January WTTC itself warned Washington that if it finally approved the new requirements it had on the table for ESTA authorization applicants, which included a thorough review of tourists’ online activity, it risked losing just over a third of its visitors. “34% of those surveyed say they are less likely to visit the United States in the next two or three years if the changes are implemented,” he warned.
China on the prowl. It is not just that the US sees its market share in international tourism shrink, it is that everything indicates that China will take advantage of this situation to cut positions. “While the US contracts, China grows at a dizzying pace,” explains Gloria Guevarapresident and CEO of WTTC to Bloomberg. “If this continues, in three or four years it will reach the US.” In another interview A recent interview with USA Today even went further and warned that, if the current situation continues, China will end up “replacing” the US as the world’s main tourist market in a matter of four years.
today the gap Between both markets it is enormous (the US sector contributes 2.63 trillion dollars and the Chinese 1.75), but Beijing is growing at high speed. WTTC estimates that its tourism sector is growing at a rate of 9.9% and that, unlike what is happening in the US, the country is seeing both its gigantic domestic market (+10.7%) and the international market (+10.5%) expand. “This dynamism reflects the overall strength of Asia-Pacific, which is now the fastest growing travel and tourism region globally.”
A sector between unknowns. That is the photo of 2025. On the horizon, however, there are many doubts. The war in Iran has hit international tourism hard, complicating for example, travel between Europe and Asia and reducing the stock of fuel for airplanes, which has already led some airlines to announce the cancellation of thousands of flights.
2025 will also not be an ordinary year for North America, which is preparing to host the FIFA World Cup, a tournament that promises to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the three host nations: Canada, Mexico and the United States, where more matches will be played. A recent report estimates that only there will the World Cup generate a flow of more than 1.24 million of visitors.
Images | Sebastian Enrique (Unsplash), Visual Capitalist and Eilis Garvey (Unsplash)
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings