Global Travel to Hit Record 1.57 Billion Arrivals in 2026, Europe Up 5%
The WTM Global Travel Report forecasts another record year, with travelers choosing more trips closer to home.
Global tourism is forecast to reach a record 1.57 billion international overnight arrivals in 2026, even as higher fares, living costs and conflict reshape how people travel.
The projection comes from the WTM Global Travel Report 2026, produced by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, and released at World Travel Market in London. It represents a 2% increase over 2025, according to Euronews' report.
Europe is expected to outperform the global average, with international overnight arrivals rising 5%. Travelers are increasingly choosing trips closer to home: journeys within the same region are forecast to grow 3%, while travel between regions is expected to fall 3%.
The report projects 23.9 billion visitor nights across domestic and international travel, with in-destination spending increasing 9% to $7.8 trillion. Those spending figures are measured in nominal dollars, rather than adjusted for inflation.
Tourism Economics expects global international arrivals to grow another 8% in 2027. That forecast depends on disruption easing; further conflict could delay the recovery.