Travel and tourism in Europe will grow 3.1% in 2026, faster than the 2.6% recorded last year and ahead of a 2.5% global rate, according to research the World Travel & Tourism Council released on 7 October. Within that, spending by international visitors to Europe is projected to rise 5.8%.

WTTC published the figures at the opening press conference of its 26th Global Summit in Valletta, Malta. The release says both the European and global rates outpace growth in the wider economy, but it does not state the economy-wide growth rates it is comparing against.

The headline numbers

  • Europe, sector growth in 2026: 3.1%, against 2.6% last year.
  • Global sector growth in 2026: 2.5%.
  • International visitor spending in Europe: up 5.8%.
  • Business travel spending in Europe: up 4.2%.
  • Leisure travel spending in Europe: up 3.1%.

WTTC says the sector supports around one in ten jobs across Europe. Globally, it contributed US$11.6 trillion last year, equal to 9.8% of world GDP, and supported 366 million jobs, which WTTC describes as nearly one in every nine.

Ms Guevara said the sector is ready to invest but that governments need to create the conditions for it, naming connectivity, talent development and support for sustainable growth.

Malta as the outlier

The host country supplied the sharpest figure in the release. In 2025 Malta recorded the largest annual increase in travel and tourism’s GDP contribution of any European economy, at 16.8%, against the European average of 2.6%. WTTC forecasts the sector will contribute US$4.9 billion to Malta’s economy in 2026, or 16.9% of GDP, and support more than one in five jobs.

The Malta Tourism Authority used the platform to signal a change of emphasis. Its chief executive, Carlo Micallef, said the aim is not only to welcome more visitors but to create greater economic, social and environmental value. Its chairman, Dr Charles Mangion, said the well-being of local communities must remain central as the sector grows.

What the release leaves out

The release gives no country forecasts for Europe apart from Malta, no hotel-specific measures such as room nights, occupancy or rate, and no figures for domestic spending. It does not give a forecast for 2027. It refers to geopolitical and economic uncertainty without quantifying the effect on the 2026 numbers. The summit drew more than 1,000 delegates, including over 200 chief executives and government leaders.

THD’s reading

The following is THD analysis, not WTTC’s.

  • The growth is in spending by international visitors and corporates. A 5.8% rise in international visitor spending and 4.2% in business travel, against 3.1% for leisure, points to gateway cities, airport hotels and meetings-led properties capturing more of the growth than domestic leisure resorts. Owners weighing capital spending in 2027 should test which of those demand pools their asset actually serves.
  • Read this alongside the weaker arrivals data. UN Tourism reported on 17 September that international arrivals worldwide grew 0.4% in the first half of 2026 and cut its full-year forecast to 1% to 2%, with Europe up 3%. WTTC measures economic contribution and spending, not arrivals, so the two are not directly comparable, but together they suggest revenue growth in Europe is coming more from spend per visitor than from visitor numbers. That favours rate discipline over volume strategies.
  • Malta shows the policy risk that follows fast growth. A destination that grew 16.8% in a year and depends on tourism for 16.9% of GDP is now talking publicly about value over volume and community well-being. Developers with pipeline in small, high-growth Mediterranean markets should expect tighter planning conditions and plan products accordingly.
  • Treat 3.1% as a regional average. Without country data, the figure cannot be used to underwrite a specific market. Operators should wait for WTTC’s country reports or use local performance data before adjusting budgets.