Europe Captures One-Third of Global Leisure Travel Spending as Southern Europe Dominates the Summer

As millions of travellers head abroad during the peak summer holiday season, Europe has reinforced its position as the world’s leading leisure travel destination, capturing one-third of all global leisure travel spending in 2025, according to new 2026 EIR data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), sponsored by Chase Travel, Lead Research Partner. The latest figures show that global leisure travel spending reached $6.15TN in 2025, up 3.5% year-on-year and accounting for 80.5% of total global travel expenditure. Of this, Europe attracted $2TN, equivalent to $1 in every $3 spent worldwide on leisure travel, highlighting the region’s enduring appeal as travellers embark on this year’s summer holidays.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of global leisure travel spending does Europe capture?

Europe captures one-third of global leisure travel spending.

How much did global leisure travel spending reach in 2025?

Global leisure travel spending reached $6.15 trillion in 2025.

What was the year-on-year growth rate for leisure travel spending?

The year-on-year growth rate for leisure travel spending was 3.5%.

Which region of Europe dominated the summer travel season?

Southern Europe dominated the summer travel season.