The world's two largest tourism economies are in a league of their own. In 2025, the United States generated US$2.63 trillion in travel and tourism GDP, followed by China at US$1.75 trillion. Germany, in third place, stood at just US$566 billion.
Further down the ranking, the gaps become much smaller. Italy and India, for example, were separated by less than US$1 billion. Drawing on WTTC's latest data, here's a closer look at the world's 15 largest tourism economies and what sets them apart.
The United States and China's overwhelming lead
The United States and China generated a combined US$4.39 trillion in tourism GDP in 2025, exceeding the US$3.56 trillion contributed by the other 13 countries in the Top 15. China alone had a larger tourism economy than Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and France combined.
A closer look at visitor spending reveals another interesting pattern. Domestic travelers spent US$1.54 trillion in the United States, nearly nine times the US$176 billion spent by international visitors. And North America was also the most selected region for summer air travel among surveyed U.S. travelers, chosen by 36% (according to TGM's Travel Insights 2025)
A similar spending pattern was observed in China, where domestic visitors spent US$890 billion, compared with US$135 billion from international visitors.
Together, these figures reveal how strongly domestic travel contributes to the scale of the world's two largest tourism economies, even as international visitor numbers receive much of the attention.
Europe's contrasting tourism economies
Germany's US$566.2 billion tourism economy in 2025 was larger than Spain and Italy combined (US$555.5 billion). Interestingly, Germany maintained its leading position even as international tourist arrivals declined by 0.8%. Meanwhile, domestic overnight visitors in commercial accommodation rose 1.6% to 149.7 million, according to the OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026.
Spain presents a different picture. Despite its smaller tourism economy, it led Europe with US$130 billion in international visitor spending. Tourism also accounted for 15.3% of Spain's national GDP, considerably higher than the European average of 9.4%.
Italy's tourism landscape adds another dimension. According to the Bank of Italy's 2025 international tourism survey, spending by foreign visitors increased by 4.6%, with nearly two-thirds of that growth attributed to visitors attending the Jubilee celebrations in Rome.
Together, these figures highlight different dimensions of Europe's tourism performance: Germany's substantial economic footprint, Spain's strength in international visitor spending and tourism dependence, and Italy's inbound spending growth supported by a major religious event.
Different growth trajectories among the Top 10
Italy and India were separated by just US$898 million in tourism GDP in 2025, making them the closest pair in the Top 10. Yet India recorded 7.3% growth in Travel & Tourism GDP that year, well above the global average of 4.1%. According to WTTC's July 2026 research, domestic visitors generated US$203 billion in spending, accounting for 86% of India's total tourism spending. WTTC's 2026 forecasts already place India ahead of Italy, at US$286.1 billion versus US$274.6 billion.
Mexico offers another interesting perspective. Its US$282.7 billion tourism economy was just US$8.3 billion behind Spain's. Meanwhile, Mexico led North America in international tourism growth: international arrivals increased 6.1% in 2025, while the United States and Canada recorded declines of 5.5% and 0.6%, respectively. International visitor spending in Mexico also grew 3.5%, compared with declines in both neighboring markets.
These differences reveal an important distinction within the closely ranked economies: India's position is projected to improve as its tourism sector expands, while Mexico's inbound tourism growth stands apart from the broader North American pattern.
The global tourism economy toward 2036
WTTC's projections suggest a potential change at the top of the ranking.
By 2036, China's tourism GDP is forecast to reach US$3.48 trillion, narrowly exceeding the United States' projected US$3.45 trillion. The difference would be approximately US$31.8 billion, a dramatic reduction from the US$878 billion gap recorded in 2025.
India's contribution is projected to nearly double to US$526.6 billion, while Saudi Arabia's could reach US$302.6 billion, approximately 70% above its 2025 level.
The more interesting story lies in how these forecasts could reshape the ranking. India is projected to climb from 10th to 4th place by 2036, overtaking established tourism economies such as the United Kingdom and Japan. Meanwhile, China's projected lead over the United States would be less than 1%, leaving little room for certainty about which country will lead in 2036. The figures point to changing positions among the world's largest tourism economies, with India's rise standing out as one of the most significant developments to watch.
More travel insights on TGM StatBox
Tourism GDP tells us how much travel contributes to an economy, while traveler preferences reveal another side of the story. TGM StatBox offers insights into popular international destinations, how global travelers prefer to plan their trips, and the booking channels they use.
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Based on the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) Economic Impact Research 2026, this chart ranks the world's 15 largest tourism economies by their total Travel & Tourism GDP contribution in 2025, highlighting the concentration of tourism's economic value and differences across major markets.
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