Tourism continues to be a major driver of economic growth, trade and employment, with international arrivals to OECD countries exceeding pre-pandemic levels and reaching record highs in many destinations. While demand remains robust, recent geopolitical tensions have highlighted the sector’s exposure to external shocks and the potential for sudden shifts in travel patterns. Looking ahead, tourism businesses and destinations must be prepared to respond to evolving risks and changing demand, while managing growth in ways that maximise benefits for local communities. Strengthening policy frameworks, crisis preparedness and destination management will be essential to support a resilient, sustainable and competitive tourism sector in an increasingly complex global environment.
Tourism
Tourism is an important driver of economic prosperity, jobs, income and wellbeing in OECD countries and beyond. Awareness of the sector’s role as an economic and social force has been elevated at the highest levels, following the near complete shutdown of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, rapid and unbalanced tourism development also brings challenges for people, places and businesses. We analyse policies and structural changes impacting the development of tourism and provide policy makers with policy solutions, data, expertise and good practices to set tourism on a path to a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive future.
Key links
Key messages
Governments are adopting more strategic approaches to tourism development and management to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability and community well-being. As destinations face challenges ranging from concentrated visitor flows and climate-related risks to changing consumer expectations and technological disruption, policy makers are focusing on stronger governance, better destination management and more effective co-ordination across government. Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are creating new opportunities to improve tourism management and decision making, while investments in skills, connectivity, accessibility and sustainable business practices are helping tourism businesses adapt and thrive. Building a more resilient and competitive tourism sector will require integrated, whole-of-government approaches that harness innovation, strengthen local benefits and support sustainable growth.
Context
Strong performance has sustained the economic role of tourism – but challenges remain
Tourism has navigated and been resilient to several shocks and pressures in recent years, reaffirming its importance as a driver of economic growth and development. Tourism directly accounts for 4.0% of GDP, 6.3% of employment and generated 19.3% of service-related exports, on average in OECD countries, while generating extensive upstream spillovers across transport, retail, agriculture and other sectors. This reflects the strong recovery and performance in recent years, which has pushed tourism to record levels in many OECD countries, reinforcing its economic significance. While tourism is vulnerable to disruption, the sector continues to demonstrate a notable ability to bounce back from shocks and provide economic gains, including in periods of heightened uncertainty. Looking ahead, sustaining this performance will require adapting to a more complex risk environment, shaped by geopolitical developments, climate-related pressures and rapid technological change. Harnessing the opportunities presented by digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, while strengthening resilience and preparedness, will be critical to supporting the sector's long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth.
Tourism Committee
Since 1948, the OECD Tourism Committee analyses and monitors policies and structural changes affecting the development of domestic and international tourism.
The Committee provides policy-makers with concrete analysis of key challenges and policy responses that will shape tourism in the years to come. The Committee actively promotes an integrated, whole-of-government approach linking tourism to policies such as economy, investment, transport, trade, inclusive growth, employment, innovation, green growth, local development, SMEs and entrepreneurship. The Committee also supports work on tourism policy performance and evaluation through its tourism policy reviews.
The Committee is expanding its global reach by co-operating closely with Partner countries and by deepening its engagement with the private sector. The aim is to more effectively share knowledge and good practices and contribute to shape global debates on tourism. The Committee has a strategic partnership with the European Commission, and has a long-standing history of co-operation with other organisations such as the World Tourism Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Office and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Examples of projects which have benefited from international co-operation include the Tourism Satellite Account, the travel and visa facilitation agenda, the 10YFP Sustainable Tourism Programme and the work on supporting quality jobs in tourism.
Tourism Statistics
The ability to measure the economic impacts of tourism provides policy makers with the evidence necessary to ensure that future policies are targeted to meet strategic objectives.
- What's the issue?
Measuring the economic contribution and impact of tourism requires consistent approaches to the collection and analysis of data. The application of evaluation frameworks help policy makers to increase overall competitiveness, sustainability, and performance of tourism policies and programmes.
- What can the OECD offer?
The OECD works with governments and other relevant international organisations to further improve the quality and accessibility of tourism data, and more effectively demonstrate the added value of tourism to decision makers, in a timely and robust manner.
The OECD tourism statistics database supports evidence-based analysis and policy performance through the provision of robust, comparable and timely data on tourism services across OECD member and partner countries.
Data is compiled using the International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 2008 and the Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework 2008.
Global Forum on Tourism Statistics, Knowledge and Policies
The Global Forum on Tourism Statistics, Knowledge and Policies provides a unique platform for the regular exchange ideas, views and experiences to address issues high on the global tourism agenda. It brings together policy-makers, statisticians and leaders from the private sector and civil society to discuss relevant and emerging tourism policy issues, and their overarching implications for policy implementation and the supporting data infrastructure, in collaboration with the private sector, researchers and academics from OECD member and non-member countries, and other international organisations.
- Supporting the development of economic intelligence, comparable statistics, and indicators on the global tourism economy, markets, and destinations.
- Promoting an evidence-based and integrated policy approach to support a stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable tourism economy, and engaging with the private sector.
- Enhancing effective horizontal and multi-level governance in tourism, and co-operating with all levels of government.
- Supporting good policy, data and business practices in Member and Partner countries, and promoting a forward-looking vision for tourism
