by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 5:40 PM ET, Thu May 29, 2025
Europe appears poised to be the beneficiary of the dip in visitation to the United States.
A new report from the World Travel and Tourism Council projects that international spending in Europe will increase by 11 percent in 2025 reaching $838 billion.
Two countries in particular are likely to see the biggest number of visitors over the remainder of the year: France and Spain.
This development “may be influenced in part by some tourists avoiding the United States,” per Reuters. The WTTC has said foreign visits to the United States are likely to drop by about 7 percent in 2025.
In particular, WTTC CEO, Julia Simpson, told reporters that Canadian and Mexican travelers may choose other destinations in response to President Donald Trump’s trade and migrations policies. Simpson also said an unfavorable exchange rate with the strong U.S. dollar may be playing a role in travel decisions among consumers this year.
Meanwhile, travelers are expected to spend about 6 percent more in Spain in 2025 compared to 2024. That amounts to about or $127.7 billion. Visitation levels to that country are also expected to soar, growing to 98 and 100 million arrivals, well more than Spain’s record visitation levels of 94 million last year.
“By 2025 the travel and tourism sector in Spain could reach a new all-time high, with an estimated contribution of €260.5 billion to GDP, equivalent to almost 16 percent of the national economy,” the WTTC said in a press release issued today regarding Spain’s tourism industry. That’s about $295 billion US dollars.
“Spain remains a true global tourism powerhouse,” said Simpson. “The data reflects a dynamic, resilient and constantly evolving sector, which not only drives economic growth, but also creates quality jobs and promotes regional development.”
France however, is still expected to welcome more travelers then Spain, per the WTTC.
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