Travel & Tourism Industry forecast

The Journey Ahead: Travel & Tourism in 2026

How Industry Leaders Are Converting Market Intelligence Into Competitive Advantage in the Travel and Tourism Industry

The global traveler expectations are changing… And if your research has not kept pace, you are navigating with an outdated map.

At SIS International Research, we have helped travel brands, hospitality groups, tour operators, and destination marketers decode what is really driving booking decisions for over 40 years.

The winners over the next decade will be the organizations that understand where growth is accelerating, where it’s stalling, and why—and make decisions based on evidence, not headlines.

The Numbers Behind the Momentum

Global tourism is recovering. The sector reached $11.7 trillion in 2025 and is projected to climb to $16.5 trillion by 2035, reflecting strong continued growth despite economic headwinds.

But, while international visitor spending hit an unprecedented $2.1 trillion globally—surpassing 2019 levels—not all markets are riding the same wave. The U.S. still lags pre-pandemic benchmarks for international arrivals, and China’s once-explosive growth is cooling. Meanwhile, cultural tourism is exploding from $1.2 trillion this year toward $2.6 trillion by 2035.

Travel & Tourism Market Demonstrates Strong Recovery and Growth Year GDP Contribution 2022 $8.6T 2023 $9.9T 2024 $10.9T 2025 $11.7T 2035 (Projected) $16.5T 从 $8.6T in 2022 to a projected $16.5T by 2035 — travel and tourism is experiencing a remarkable recovery post-pandemic, with the sector contributing 10.3% of global GDP in 2025 and supporting one in 10 jobs worldwide (371 million jobs). 2025 Key Highlights: • International visitor spending: $2.1T (surpassing 2019 record by $164B) • Jobs supported globally: 371 million (14M increase from 2024) • Sector growth rate: 3.5% annually through 2035 来源： World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Research 2025 View Official WTTC Press Release →

What Is Actually Changing (And What It Means For Your Strategy)

Through our work with clients across continents, we are seeing five critical shifts that separate winning strategies from wishful thinking:

1. The Personalization Premium
   Research shows that 61% of consumers are willing to spend more with companies if they offer a customized experience. Travelers demonstrate willingness to invest on add-ons that enhance their overall experience, with breakfast, room size, and views being top choices.

✔️ Why this matters for research: We help you identify which personalization features drive conversions versus which drain resources without impact.

2. The Wellness Tourism Explosion
   Wellness tourism reached $1 trillion globally in 2025 and is expected to continue strong growth through the decade, driven by travelers seeking sleep optimization programs, biohacking retreats, mental health experiences, and nutrition-focused dining. High-income travelers lead adoption (44% took wellness trips in 2025), but younger generations are rapidly expanding the market base.

✔️ Why this matters for research: We help you test which wellness offerings resonate with your target demographics, optimize pricing strategies that capture willingness-to-pay without commoditizing premium experiences.

3. The Sustainability Mandate
   Sustainability has moved from “nice to have” to deal-breaker. Travelers are actively filtering out properties that do not meet their environmental standards.

✔️ Why this matters for research: Sustainability claims without validation erode trust and invite backlash. We help you determine which environmental initiatives influence booking decisions, and how to communicate sustainability efforts without greenwashing accusations

4. AI’s Double-Edged Transformation
   AI in tourism is projected to grow at 28.7% annually, with applications ranging from hyper-personalized itineraries to predictive pricing. The generative AI market in travel alone jumps from $894 million in 2024 to over $5 billion by 2034.

✔️ Why this matters for research: We help you test AI applications before full deployment and identify which touchpoints benefit from automation versus human interaction.

5. Overtourism Anxiety Is Peaking
   Concerns about high tourist volumes jumped 14 points year-over-year, while worries about insufficient amenities rose 12 points. Climate challenges, geopolitical instability, and infrastructure strain are forcing destinations to rethink capacity management entirely.

✔️ Why this matters for research: We help you understand traveler tolerance levels for crowding, test dynamic pricing strategies that balance demand without alienating core customers, evaluate visitor sentiment toward capacity controls, and identify emerging destinations that can absorb demand while maintaining experience quality that justifies premium positioning.

What Travel Leaders Need From Research Partners in 2026

Based on conversations with our clients—from boutique hotel groups to international airlines—priorities have evolved:

Actionable segmentation: Not just demographics, but psychographics and behavioral patterns that predict actual booking behavior
Competitive intelligence: Understanding not just what competitors offer, but why travelers choose them
Experience mapping: Identifying friction points across the entire customer journey, from inspiration to post-trip advocacy
ROI clarity: Research that connects directly to revenue outcomes, not just interesting insights
Speed without shortcuts: Fast turnarounds that maintain methodological rigor—because travel windows do not wait for quarterly reports
Intuition is expensive. Research is what separates companies that scale profitably from those that chase trends without understanding demand.