US Remains Top Tourism Market but Slower Growth Puts Pressure On

The United States remained the world’s largest travel and tourism market in 2025, but the latest report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) says its position is under more pressure.

WTTC said the sector contributed $2.63 trillion to the US GDP and supported 20.4 million jobs last year. Still, the organization warned that the country is now at a “crossroads” because growth slowed and international demand weakened.

WTTC said the global travel and tourism sector grew 4.1 percent in 2025, while North America rose just 1 percent and the US increased only 0.9 percent. So while the US remained the largest market by size, it grew much more slowly than the wider industry.

International visitors were the main weak spot

The biggest drag came from inbound travel. WTTC said international visitor numbers to the US fell 5.5 percent from 2024, while spending by those travelers dropped 4.6 percent to $176 billion.

Domestic demand was more stable, but only slightly better. WTTC said domestic visitor spending rose 0.3 percent in 2025. That helped keep the sector large and supported continued job growth, but it was not enough to balance the weaker inbound picture.

WTTC says the US needs to compete harder for international demand

The US still has a strong base, but it cannot rely on size alone. Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, said the country should invest more in promotion, improve its image as a welcoming destination, and find ways to increase international visitor spending through stopovers and new experiences.

Other industry forecasts point in the same direction. In late 2025, US Travel said inbound international visits were expected to fall 6.3 percent to 67.9 million. It also warned that visa delays and other barriers were hurting recovery.

2026 World Cup could be a turning point

WTTC estimates that about 1.24 million international visitors could travel to the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The National Travel and Tourism Office also expects international arrivals to reach 85 million in 2026, above 2019 levels.

Inbound recovery is improving, but not evenly

Recent inbound data already points to the same pressure. International travel to the US started to recover again in March 2026, but the rebound remained uneven, with some long-haul markets still lagging behind. That adds context to WTTC’s warning: the US is not losing its scale, but it is still working to rebuild international demand consistently enough to protect its leadership position.

Photo by Gerson Repreza on Unsplash