Oct 11, 2026
The World Travel & Tourism Council has laid out eight strategic goals designed to bolster Europe’s standing in global tourism, pull in investment and back sustainable expansion, according to TradeArabia News Service. These recommendations are contained in a fresh report, Travel & Tourism in Europe: A Deep Dive Into Growth, Outlook and Policy, unveiled during the council’s 26th Global Summit held in Valletta, Malta.
The study reviews the industry’s economic footprint, employment, visitor expenditure, investment and prospects through 2036, while proposing practical policy steps meant to boost competitiveness. It comes as regional governments draft fresh tourism plans and the European Union readies its first-ever dedicated tourism strategy.
Scale of the sector
Travel and tourism poured nearly $3 trillion into Europe’s gross domestic product during 2025, amounting to 9.4% of the regional economy, and sustained 40.7 million jobs, about one in every ten positions. The industry is set to grow 3.1% in 2026, versus anticipated growth of 1.1% for the broader European economy.
Europe logged 757.3 million international overnight arrivals in 2025, equal to 49.1% of the worldwide total, while international visitor spending hit $835 billion, or 41% of global spending.
Germany ranked as Europe’s biggest travel and tourism economy, contributing $566 billion, trailed by the UK at $380 billion, France at $312 billion and Spain at $291 billion. Malta, the summit’s host, posted a $4.6 billion tourism contribution in 2025, a gain of 16.8%. The sector represented 16.6% of the nation’s GDP and backed one in five jobs.
The eight priorities
The first priority centres on secure and seamless travel. Schengen nations granted 5.3 million multiple-entry visas in 2025, 40% less than in 2019. The council advises speeding up digital Schengen visas, reinstating multiple-entry visas and launching an EU-wide trusted traveller scheme.
Second comes diversification of source markets. European travellers represented 74.3% of international arrivals to the region in 2025, while arrivals from Asia-Pacific stay under pre-pandemic levels, with China 43.2% behind its 2019 numbers. The council advises public-private marketing partnerships, steady tourism promotion budgets and simpler visa access to lure more long-haul visitors.
Third is greater investment. Tourism investment in Europe hit $259 billion in 2025, a 7.1% year-on-year rise but still 3.6% under 2019 levels. The council advises treating tourism as a strategic ecosystem within the EU’s 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework, easing access to investment instruments and aiding small and medium-sized enterprises.
Fourth is sustainable tourism, encompassing investment in climate adaptation, water and waste management, nature protection and lower-emission aviation and maritime fuels. The sector represented 6.3% of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, even though emissions intensity dropped 14.8% between 2019 and 2024.
Fifth, the council backs stronger destination stewardship via integrated planning for housing, transport and local services, plus a move away from visitor-volume targets toward value-based measures. Transparent visitor levies and improved data could help spread tourism across destinations and seasons.
Sixth is drawing in and upskilling workers. Young people occupy 13.1% of direct tourism jobs in Europe, versus 8.3% across the broader economy. Workforce shortages are expected to leave Germany and Greece 26% and 27% below labour demand respectively by 2035. The council advises apprenticeships, broader recognition of the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Passport and headway on the UK-EU Youth Experience Scheme.
Seventh, the report urges wider adoption of artificial intelligence via grants, skills training, expert advice and shared digital tools, especially for smaller tourism businesses, together with human-centred, transparent and proportionate regulation.
The eighth priority is better connectivity across air, rail, maritime and road networks. The council advises integrated ticketing, accessible booking platforms and interoperable travel information to enhance links between destinations, including islands and rural areas, while backing lower-emission transport options.
Outlook and policy openings
The council projects that Europe’s travel and tourism contribution to GDP will hit $3.8 trillion by 2036, expanding at an annualised rate of 2.2%. Employment is expected to surpass 50 million jobs, a rise of 8.3 million compared with 2026.
The report flags the EU’s upcoming Sustainable Tourism Strategy, the European Parliament’s April 2026 resolution and the Council’s May 2026 conclusions as chances to bolster tourism’s role in the region’s competitiveness agenda through coordinated policies, investment and connectivity.
The council’s president and chief executive, Gloria Guevara, said Europe already receives close to half of the world’s international travellers and is well positioned to extend that leadership as global travel expands. She noted that the choices governments make now will determine how much of that growth lands in Europe, and that the research highlights where policy can make the biggest difference, including faster digital visas, more visitors from beyond Europe, stronger investment and a skilled workforce. She added that policymakers have a rare chance to treat travel and tourism as the strategic sector it is, and that the council stands ready to work with governments and institutions across the region to turn that ambition into results for communities.
Source: www.indexbox.io
