Global travel sector keeps growing as international arrivals head for record 1.57 billion in 2026
A new World Travel Market report projects record international arrivals in 2026, with travellers spending more despite rising prices, even as conflicts and economic uncertainty persist.
By Yuki Kaminski ·
International tourism is heading for another record year, even as conflicts and economic uncertainty weigh on many parts of the world. A new report from World Travel Market projects that the number of international arrivals will climb to 1.57 billion in 2026, the highest figure ever recorded. The findings point to a sector that continues to expand in the face of significant challenges.
The study was authored by David Goodger, managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Tourism Economics. It finds that overall tourism spending is also higher despite rising prices, a sign that demand in the sector remains strong even as trips become more expensive.
"A little over half of that spending increase is because of inflation," Goodger said. Even so, he noted, "we are seeing still a prioritisation of luxury experiences," with people "treating themselves when they can."
The report also highlights a rapid shift in how journeys are planned. The number of people using chatbots to build their itineraries has jumped, it found. Yet trust in the technology has clear limits: only a third of travellers say they would trust AI agents to complete their bookings.
"We're not seeing AI completely replacing humans in the industry," Goodger said. Artificial intelligence is now fundamental to many activities and does a great deal of work in the background, he said, but "there is still space for that human touch, that human service."
Goodger also addressed the situation in France, which has been rocked by sometimes violent protests. Paris and other affected French cities will remain attractive destinations for international visitors, he said, even if the unrest causes some people to change their plans in the short term.
"There may be some short-term disruption, where people are choosing a different city or destination," he said. "But what we've seen over time is that those travellers will return, and more quickly than they have done in the past."
That rebound has accelerated: Goodger said the rate of recovery for affected destinations has halved over the past few years, meaning visitors now come back sooner after periods of disruption. "Travel is resilient, people really want those experiences," he said.
