If the global tourism industry were a horse race, Central and South America would be quietly slipping past the field while much of the world is still checking the form guide.
Fresh forecasts from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) suggest the region is heading into 2026 with a rare combination of momentum, resilience and opportunity. While other parts of the world continue to navigate geopolitical turbulence, inflationary pressures and shifting traveller behaviour, Latin America appears to have found itself in an enviable sweet spot.
According to WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Research, sponsored by Chase Travel as Lead Research Partner, Travel & Tourism GDP across Central and South America is expected to expand by 4.1 per cent in 2026. That comfortably exceeds the projected global average growth rate of 3.2 per cent.
Even more striking is the outlook for international visitor spending. The region is forecast to record growth of 7.8 per cent next year, more than double the expected global increase of 3.7 per cent.
For tourism operators, airlines, hoteliers and destinations, those figures are more than just encouraging statistics. They represent a powerful signal that travellers are increasingly looking towards Latin America for their next adventure, business trip or cultural experience.
The growth story is being fuelled by a combination of strong domestic travel demand, improving connectivity, growing traveller confidence and a degree of insulation from geopolitical disruptions that continue to impact other regions.
While ongoing tensions in the Middle East have affected air routes and source markets elsewhere, Central and South America have remained comparatively less exposed. That has helped destinations across the region maintain stability at a time when certainty has become a valuable commodity in tourism.
Several nations are emerging as standout performers.
Ecuador is forecast to lead the region in 2026, with Travel & Tourism GDP expected to surge by an impressive 11.6 per cent. Bolivia is not far behind, with projected growth of 10.3 per cent, supported by a remarkable 25.8 per cent increase in international visitor spending.
Further south, Argentina continues its tourism resurgence, with sector growth forecast at 4.9 per cent. Colombia is expected to perform even more strongly, recording growth of 5.7 per cent as it continues to attract increasing international attention from both leisure and business travellers.
Brazil, the region’s tourism heavyweight, may not be posting double-digit gains, but its scale means even modest growth matters. WTTC forecasts Brazil’s Travel & Tourism GDP will increase by 2.1 per cent next year, while international visitor spending is expected to rise by 3 per cent.
Then there is Venezuela, which stands out as perhaps the most eye-catching forecast of all. WTTC expects the country’s Travel & Tourism GDP to soar by 33.2 per cent in 2026, accompanied by a 34.8 per cent jump in international visitor spending.
Central America is also expected to contribute strongly to the region’s success story.
Guatemala is forecast to achieve Travel & Tourism GDP growth of 6.1 per cent, alongside a 9.3 per cent increase in international visitor spending. Panama is projected to record tourism growth of 8.4 per cent, with visitor expenditure expected to climb by 8.9 per cent.
According to WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara, the region’s performance reflects years of strategic effort and growing confidence among travellers.
“Central and South America continues to emerge as one of the world’s most dynamic Travel & Tourism regions, with strong domestic demand, rising international spending, and growing traveller confidence supporting growth across many markets.
“Countries such as Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala, Panama, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela are demonstrating the enormous potential of the sector when supported by investment, connectivity, and long-term strategic focus. The region has a real opportunity to strengthen its global competitiveness and secure sustained long-term growth.”
The broader global picture remains positive. WTTC forecasts Travel & Tourism will contribute US$12 trillion to the world economy in 2026, accounting for 9.9 per cent of global GDP and supporting 376 million jobs worldwide.
Over the coming decade, global Travel & Tourism GDP is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3.6 per cent, around one-and-a-half times faster than the wider global economy.
Yet for Central and South America, the challenge now shifts from achieving growth to sustaining it.
WTTC warns that continued investment in aviation connectivity, destination infrastructure, workforce development and traveller confidence will be essential if the region is to maintain its competitive edge. Affordability and stable operating environments remain critical strengths, but inflation and weakening consumer sentiment could still create headwinds in some markets.
For now, however, Latin America appears to have the wind at its back.
In an industry that has spent much of the past decade navigating crisis after crisis, that is no small achievement. While other regions continue searching for their next tourism growth engine, Central and South America seem to have already found theirs.
For more information, visit the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
By Bridget Gomez – © 2026.
Read Time: 3 Minutes.
About the Author.
Bridget has never been built for stillness. Of Portuguese heritage, she began as a nurse, tending veterans at the Repatriation Hospital, listening to stories as colourful as the life she was yet to live. It was worthy, steady work, but wanderlust, as always, proved louder than routine.
So, she traded starch for a backpack and disappeared for a year, chasing trains, sunsets and the occasional regrettable glass of wine. She wrote everything down the dust, the laughter, the missteps, the magic. Those notebooks became a travel blog, then a habit, then a calling.
Eventually, she found Global Travel Media, or perhaps it found her.
Today, Bridget writes with heart, humour and a dash of mischief, still travelling, just now with words.
