The United States remains the world's leading tourism economy in terms of economic power, ranking first in the new Travel & Tourism Power Index released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). China and India occupy second and third place, respectively, followed by Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, Spain and Saudi Arabia.

The findings are part of three new indicators developed by WTTC in partnership with Oxford Economics and in collaboration with OMRAN Group. Presented on November 4 at World Travel Market (WTM) London, the Power, Efficiency & Opportunity Indices assess the performance of 184 economies through three complementary dimensions: tourism's economic contribution, environmental efficiency and employment opportunities.

The research highlights an important distinction: a country's economic leadership in tourism does not necessarily translate into better environmental performance or stronger employment outcomes. By examining these dimensions separately, the indices provide governments, investors and tourism industry leaders with a broader framework for evaluating destinations and identifying opportunities for improvement.

The top 20 economies concentrate 81% of global tourism GDP

One of the report's most significant findings is the concentration of tourism's economic contribution. The world's 20 leading economies accounted for 81% of global Travel & Tourism GDP in 2024, demonstrating the sector's strong connection with the largest economic markets.

The Environmental Efficiency Index, meanwhile, evaluates greenhouse gas emissions, low-carbon energy consumption, water use, air pollution and materials consumption in relation to the economic activity generated by tourism.

Between 2019 and 2024, the global environmental efficiency score improved by 2.3 points. The low-carbon energy indicator increased by 6.7 points, while greenhouse gas intensity improved by 3.9 points. Sweden ranked first among high-income economies, while Costa Rica led the upper-middle-income group.

Tourism employment: opportunities for women and young people

The third indicator, the Employment Opportunities Index, measures the sector's contribution to employment through job participation, employment growth and opportunities for women and young people.

The results show different leaders depending on income classification. Croatia ranked first among high-income economies, the Maldives led the upper-middle-income group, El Salvador topped the lower-middle-income category, and The Gambia ranked first among low-income economies.

The WTTC also highlighted the importance of tourism as a source of employment in destinations such as the Maldives, Grenada and Belize, where the industry represents a significant share of national jobs.

Oman provides another example of the sector's social contribution. According to the report, women account for 28% of tourism employment in the country, compared with 18% across the Middle East. Young people represent 13% of its tourism workforce, compared with less than 9% across the wider Omani economy.

A broader approach to measuring tourism success

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President and CEO, said the new indices provide a more comprehensive understanding of tourism's global impact, emphasizing the importance of measuring the quality of growth alongside its economic scale.

The organization developed the framework to help governments, investors and industry leaders compare destinations, identify areas requiring improvement and make more informed investment decisions.

The three indicators are designed to be analyzed together rather than as a single overall ranking. Their findings underline that economic leadership does not automatically guarantee environmental sustainability or better employment opportunities.

With this initiative, WTTC introduces a broader perspective on tourism competitiveness, placing economic performance, environmental responsibility and social development at the center of destination planning and investment strategies.