Key facts
- International tourist arrivals in OECD countries reached a record 847 million in 2025.
- Finland, Japan, Korea, and Norway recorded double-digit growth in inbound tourism in 2025.
- Canada, Germany, Ireland, and the United States saw a decrease in international tourist arrivals in 2025.
- Middle East conflicts have significantly impacted travel flows and traveler confidence.
- Destinations are advised to enhance crisis preparedness and adapt to extreme weather events.
- Promoting responsible tourism that benefits local communities is a key focus.
The global travel industry is undergoing significant changes in 2026, driven by a confluence of extreme weather events, geopolitical conflicts, and a growing emphasis on responsible tourism, according to the OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026 report. While international tourist arrivals in OECD countries hit a record 847 million in 2025, with notable double-digit growth in Finland, Japan, Korea, and Norway, the overall picture is complex.
Several countries, including Canada, Germany, Ireland, and the United States, experienced a decline in arrivals in 2025, failing to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. The conflict in the Middle East has particularly disrupted travel flows, increased costs, and impacted traveler confidence, with Israel seeing a substantial drop in inbound tourism. These disruptions are expected to persist in the near term.
In response to these challenges, destinations are being urged to strengthen their crisis preparedness and adapt to uncertainty. This includes embedding risk assessment and early warning systems into tourism planning to better anticipate and manage extreme weather events like heatwaves and wildfires. The report highlights the use of multilingual emergency alert apps and the development of 'heat refuges' as examples of adaptation strategies.
Furthermore, there is a growing focus on ensuring tourism benefits local communities. This may lead to more destinations promoting local businesses, community-based tourism, and incentives for spending beyond large chains. Measures such as tourist taxes, visitor caps, timed-entry systems, and the promotion of 'second cities' and off-season travel are also being considered to distribute crowds and manage the pressures of tourism growth.