What is the global value of tourism?

Despite the sharp increase, the market size of tourism worldwide remained below pre-pandemic levels, totaling around two trillion U.S. dollars in 2022. As forecast, this figure is expected to rise to nearly 2.29 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, surpassing the peak reported in 2019.



By early 2026, the global tourism sector has reached record-breaking heights, with total export revenues estimated at $2.2 trillion USD for the 2025 calendar year. International tourism receipts alone accounted for approximately $1.9 trillion, marking a 5% increase over 2024 despite global inflation. The industry recorded an estimated 1.52 billion international tourist arrivals in 2025, nearly 60 million more than the previous year. This growth is driven by a massive rebound in the Asia-Pacific region and steady demand in Europe and the Americas. Tourism now represents a critical pillar of the global economy, contributing significantly to the GDP of nations like Japan, Morocco, and South Korea, which saw extraordinary double-digit growth in visitor spending. The 2026 outlook remains positive, with a projected growth of 3% to 4% as air connectivity and visa facilitations continue to improve worldwide.

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Despite the sharp increase, the market size of tourism worldwide remained below pre-pandemic levels, totaling around two trillion U.S. dollars in 2022. As forecast, this figure is expected to rise to nearly 2.29 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, surpassing the peak reported in 2019.

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Tourism provides opportunities for cultural exchange, as people from different countries and backgrounds interact with each other and share their experiences and traditions.

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?Value? isn't restricted to finances, so perhaps a high-value traveler could offer a social, cultural, or educational benefit to a community as well. This leads me back to the question I found tucked between one on greenwashed narratives and another on strategies for approaching complex sustainability issues.

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2.2 Global Tourism Value Chains. Antràs (2020: 5) defines a GVC as “a series of stages involved in producing a product or service that is sold to consumers, with each stage adding value, and with at least two stages being produced in different countries”.

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The negative environmental impacts of tourism are substantial. They include the depletion of local natural resources as well as pollution and waste problems. Tourism often puts pressure on natural resources through over-consumption, often in places where resources are already scarce.

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France is the most visited country in the world with 117,109,000 international tourists, thanks to its rich history and iconic landmarks. Mexico comes in second for most visited countries, with 51,128,000 tourists, offering vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty.

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Travel and tourism GDP is predicted to grow, on average, at 5.8 percent a year between 2022 and 2032, outpacing the growth of the overall economy at an expected 2.7 percent a year. 5. So, is it all systems go for travel and tourism? Not really. The industry continues to face a prolonged and widespread labor shortage.

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Tourism offers great opportunities for emerging economies and developing countries. It creates jobs, strengthens the local economy, contributes to local infrastructure development and can help to conserve the natural environment and cultural assets and traditions, and to reduce poverty and inequality.

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It can help to preserve cultural heritage and traditions, promote cultural exchange, and provide opportunities for education and personal growth. Tourism can promote cultural exchange by allowing people from different cultures to interact and learn from each other.

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Through GVCs, countries trade more than products; they trade know-how, and make things together. Imports of goods and services matter as much as exports to successful GVCs. GVCs integrate the know-how of lead firms and suppliers of key components along stages of production and in multiple offshore locations.

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