Travel Industry To Outpace Global Economy, Set To Reach Sixteen Trillion Usd By 2035 – Wtm Global Travel Report, New Research Is Here

Published on November 4, 2025

By: Tuhin Sarkar

The recreation manufacture is expected to surpass nan world economy’s maturation complaint complete nan adjacent decade, pinch yearly maturation projected astatine 3.5%, compared to nan world economy’s 2.5% growth. This was revealed successful nan latest World Travel Market (WTM) Global Travel Report, released connected 4th November, marking nan opening of WTM London. According to nan report, by 2035, nan world recreation manufacture will make much than $16 trillion, contributing astir 12% to nan world GDP. With world arrivals projected to transcend 1.5 cardinal by nan extremity of 2025, nan recreation assemblage is reaching caller heights.

Optimistic Projections for nan Future of Travel

In nan WTM Global Travel Report, analysts projected that nan world recreation manufacture will spot tremendous growth, outpacing nan broader system successful nan coming years. The recreation marketplace is connected way to execute an yearly maturation complaint of 3.5% complete nan adjacent decade, acold exceeding nan 2.5% expected for nan world economy. These projections are group against a backdrop of record-breaking world recreation successful 2025, pinch arrivals forecasted to apical 1.5 billion, surpassing nan grounds group successful 2019.

By 2035, nan world recreation assemblage is poised to make complete $16 trillion, which would relationship for astir 12% of nan world’s GDP. These optimistic maturation projections item nan ongoing translator of nan recreation industry, driven by expanding world mobility and evolving user behaviours.

Drivers Behind Travel Growth

The study identifies respective cardinal factors contributing to nan accelerated description of nan recreation industry. One superior driver is nan increasing number of travellers venturing to much distant destinations and booking longer stays. Emerging markets, peculiarly successful nan Asia Pacific region, are expected to spot continued economical growth, fuelling request for world travel.

Furthermore, arsenic user spending habits evolve, much individuals are prioritising travel, allocating a important information of their budgets towards experiences complete worldly goods. The displacement towards experiential consumption, including unrecorded events, has further bolstered nan recreation sector. The emergence successful fame of unrecorded concerts, exemplified by awesome tours for illustration Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, is an parameter of really taste events are reshaping nan recreation landscape.

New Travel Trends and Changing Consumer Behaviours

Tourists are progressively choosing to recreation disconnected nan beaten path, pinch galore opting for trips during enarthrosis seasons to debar nan power of highest summertime months. The study notes a emergence successful nan ‘coolcations’ trend, wherever bluish destinations for illustration Sweden, Norway, and Finland are projected to spot an influx of travellers. This inclination aligns pinch nan increasing liking successful visiting cooler, little accepted summertime hotspots.

In parallel, bucket database destinations proceed to stay celebrated arsenic travellers activity iconic, must-see locations. These destinations use greatly from nan powerfulness of societal media, which continues to power recreation choices. Destinations specified arsenic Iceland and Machu Picchu still bask beardown attention, pinch societal platforms playing a pivotal domiciled successful promoting their entreaty to a world audience.

The Role of Sustainability successful Travel’s Future

Sustainability remains a cardinal interest for nan recreation industry, pinch biology effect coming nether accrued scrutiny. Despite increasing awareness, consumers stay resistant to paying higher prices for eco-friendly options. This guidance presents a situation for nan industry, arsenic nan costs required to modernise and instrumentality sustainable practices whitethorn beryllium harder to unafraid successful a price-sensitive environment.

Nevertheless, nan push towards sustainability is expected to thrust invention wrong nan sector, arsenic destinations, airlines, and edifice chains strive to meet some user expectations and regulatory demands. The modulation towards greener practices, while challenging, will apt style nan early of recreation successful ways that equilibrium economical maturation pinch biology responsibility.

Expansion successful Aviation, Cruise, and Accommodation Sectors

The aviation, cruise, and accommodation sectors are each poised for important description , arsenic indicated successful nan report. Over 15,000 caller craft are presently connected bid pinch awesome manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, signaling a robust early for aerial travel. Meanwhile, nan world cruise manufacture is connected way to grow by astir 6% successful 2025, further contributing to nan industry’s growth.

The edifice assemblage is likewise thriving, pinch much than 500,000 caller edifice rooms group to unfastened successful 2025, pinch an further 1 cardinal rooms nether building successful nan pursuing years. This monolithic description successful infrastructure is reflective of nan industry’s booming demand, arsenic some established and emerging destinations look to accommodate nan influx of travellers.

Digital Platforms and AI arsenic Growth Drivers

In today’s recreation landscape, integer platforms are playing an progressively cardinal role. Social media, online recreation agents, and reappraisal sites are much celebrated than ever, driving accrued engagement and bookings. Furthermore, artificial intelligence (AI) has go a awesome unit wrong nan industry, pinch galore recreation professionals recognising its imaginable to summation wide spending successful nan sector. The study highlights that AI devices are expected to thief heighten customer experiences and streamline operational efficiency, contributing to nan maturation of nan recreation market.

As AI devices go much integrated into nan recreation ecosystem, they will apt play a pivotal domiciled successful reshaping really consumers interact pinch nan industry, from personalised recommendations to smarter recreation planning.

Concerns About Economic and Geopolitical Headwinds

Despite nan optimistic maturation projections, nan study besides acknowledges imaginable challenges that could effect nan recreation industry’s trajectory. Economic and geopolitical uncertainties are important risks, peculiarly successful nan aftermath of waste and acquisition tariffs and governmental instability. The imposition of waste and acquisition tariffs during nan Trump administration, for example, has added to nan costs of doing business for galore players successful nan sector.

Moreover, nan manufacture continues to look a skills shortage, which could limit maturation successful cardinal areas specified arsenic customer service, aviation, and hospitality. The study suggests that addressing these issues will beryllium captious for nan manufacture to support its maturation momentum.

Regional Outlook: North America Faces Challenges

While nan outlook for world recreation is positive, nan study notes that nan contiguous outlook for North America is little promising. Inbound arrivals to nan United States are expected to alteration by 6% successful 2025, meaning that it will return respective years earlier nan state sees a return to nan grounds levels of 2019. This dip successful arrivals is simply a notable interest for nan region, pinch experts suggesting that nan betterment to pre-pandemic levels mightiness not hap until 2029.

However, contempt these challenges, nan wide world outlook remains strong. Emerging markets and different regions are expected to proceed to thrust growth, pinch opportunities for description successful respective cardinal areas.

Conclusion: WTM London’s Role successful Shaping nan Future of Travel

Chris Carter-Chapman, nan Event Director of WTM London, emphasised nan value of this year’s arena successful navigating nan quickly evolving recreation landscape. The WTM Global Travel Report provides basal insights for manufacture professionals arsenic they look to capitalise connected nan opportunities and flooded nan challenges successful nan sector.

As nan world recreation manufacture continues to scope caller heights, WTM London serves arsenic a captious level for networking, knowledge-sharing, and business deals. With recreation group to outpace world economical growth, nan industry’s trajectory is incredibly promising, but it will require strategical planning, innovation, and adaptability to guarantee semipermanent success.