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With China, the Asian giant growing much faster than the US, the competition for global tourism has changed pace and may end with new leadership before the end of the decade.
China entered 2026 with a message that shakes up the global tourism map: while the Asian giant advances at a strong pace, the US has lost momentum just when it needed to recover foreign visitors the most. Recent data from WTTC, in partnership with Chase Travel, shows that China’s travel and tourism economy grew by 9.9% in 2025, compared to just 0.9% for the United States. If this pace continues, global leadership could change hands before the end of the decade.
The contrast became even more visible because 2025 was a historic year for the sector worldwide. Global tourism totaled $11.6 trillion, accounted for 9.8% of the global economy, and grew by 4.1%, surpassing the growth of global GDP.
However, this boost was not distributed evenly: the Asia-Pacific region led with an expansion of 8.1%, while North America only managed 1%, paving the way for the Chinese surge.
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China turns openness into fuel for growth in global tourism
China’s rise did not come solely from the size of its domestic market. The Asian giant also gained traction with the return of foreign travelers. In 2025, the country recorded over 150 million inbound trips, an increase of more than 17%, with visitor spending exceeding $130 billion.
Only visa-free entries surpassed 30 million, a number that helps explain why the country has regained so much attention from those who previously traveled to other destinations in Asia and the West.
Beijing accelerated this offensive by opening more doors. China expanded visa-free access to dozens of countries, extended exemptions to over 40 nations until the end of 2026, and even included Canada and the UK in the program this year.
The package includes migration facilitation, expansion of visa-free transit for up to 240 hours at more ports, and improvements in payment methods for foreigners, points that reduce friction in travel and make the destination much more competitive.
US stumbles as foreigners retreat
On the other side, the US remains a giant in the size of the sector, contributing $2.6 trillion in 2025, compared to $1.8 trillion from China. Nevertheless, the country saw a decline in international flow at a critical moment.
According to data cited by Bloomberg, about 68 million visitors came from abroad last year, a decrease of 5.5% from 2024, amid stricter immigration rules and rising geopolitical tensions.
The pressure had already appeared earlier. In January, Reuters reported that the United States recorded a 6% drop in foreign visitors in 2025, even with the global increase in tourism spending, and attributed part of this movement to concerns over anti-immigration policies.
The WTTC itself also warned in January that planned changes to U.S. border control could further reduce international demand and cost the sector billions.
The Asian giant is closing in, but the competition is not over yet
The American advantage still weighs heavily, and Washington continues to bet on recovery. The NTTO projects that the total number of international arrivals to the U.S. will reach 85 million in 2026, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and putting the country back on an upward trajectory.
The problem is that this reaction will need to be strong enough to contain an adversary that is growing faster, easing entry, and capturing a larger share of global interest with each new cycle.
On the global tourism board, the change has already begun. China has ceased to be merely a powerhouse of outbound tourists and has begun to establish itself as a major global destination.
If the U.S. cannot reverse the loss of appeal among foreigners, the Asian giant could turn its current advance into effective leadership in the coming years.
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