The United States remained the world’s largest Travel & Tourism market in 2025, but is beginning to lose market share to other destinations, according to the latest Economic Impact Report from the World Travel & Tourism Council, developed in collaboration with Chase Travel.

The study shows that despite the global sector achieving its strongest performance in terms of GDP growth (4.1%), North America was the slowest-growing region, expanding by just 1.0%, with the United States posting only 0.9% growth.

International visitors and spending decline

One of the report’s most significant findings is the drop in inbound tourism: the number of international visitors traveling to the United States fell by 5.5% compared to 2024, while international visitor spending declined by 4.6%, reaching $176 billion.

At the same time, more than 80 million additional people traveled internationally in 2025, but chose other destinations, reflecting intensifying global competition.

Leadership under pressure from Asia

Despite this trend, the United States remains the largest contributor to global tourism GDP, with $2.63 trillion. However, the World Travel & Tourism Council warns of structural challenges that could impact its leadership in the medium term.

In contrast, Asia-Pacific continues to lead global growth, with an 8.2% increase in tourism GDP, reaching $3.29 trillion. China, the world’s second-largest market, recorded a 9.9% year-over-year increase, contributing $1.75 trillion.

Other markets such as Malaysia (11.2%) and Philippines (10.8%) also led growth, followed by India (7.3%) and Indonesia (7.2%).

Jobs and domestic travel sustain the sector

The report highlights that the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector generated 20.4 million jobs in 2025, a 1.2% year-over-year increase, adding approximately 242,000 new positions.

Domestic tourism remained strong, with spending reaching $1.54 trillion, 14.3% above pre-pandemic levels.

Major events present a key opportunity

Looking ahead, the WTTC points to a major strategic opportunity: global events such as the 2026 soccer tournaments, which could attract approximately 1.24 million international visitors.

This scenario offers a powerful platform to reposition the United States as a global destination, enhance its image, and increase international visitor spending.

Key steps to regain competitiveness

Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of the WTTC, emphasized that the United States must strengthen its tourism strategy to maintain global leadership, highlighting the need to invest in international promotion, improve destination perception, and develop new visitor experiences.

Similarly, Chase Travel noted the sector’s resilience but agreed that the country faces an increasingly competitive global landscape.