Countries with the highest inbound tourism receipts worldwide 2019-2022. The United States was the country worldwide with the highest international tourism receipts in 2022. That year, inbound tourism receipts in the U.S. amounted to roughly 135 billion U.S. dollars.

As of 2026, the United States remains the world's top tourism earner by a staggering margin. While France often holds the title for the most visitors, the U.S. earns the most revenue—approximately $215 billion annually in international tourist receipts. This is largely due to the long duration of stay for international visitors and the high cost of transcontinental travel, lodging, and entertainment in major hubs like New York City, Orlando, and Los Angeles. In the 2026 rankings, the U.S. is followed by Spain (approx. $106 billion), which has seen a massive surge in luxury tourism, and the United Kingdom ($84 billion). The U.S. leads because it successfully attracts high-spending travelers from Asia and Europe who visit multiple states over two-to-three-week periods. This "receipts" metric is considered a more accurate measure of a country's tourism "power" than simple arrival numbers, as it reflects the actual economic impact on the nation's GDP and the strength of its hospitality sector.