These figures include not only tourism's direct contribution but also its impact on supply chains and the spending of income earned in the sector. The direct share of tourism, which stood at 3.6% in 2022, has shown signs of recovery.
Tourism's total impact varies widely across Europe. In countries with high tourism activity, such as Italy and Spain, the estimated impact reaches around 14% of GVA. In Portugal and Croatia, it surpasses 20%. In contrast, in Belgium and Denmark, it is slightly below 5%.
These estimates, published for the first time by the European Commission, aim to fill a data gap. As tourism is not an industry in national accounts, its measurement is complex. The JRC's new estimates use official statistics and Eurostat input-output tables to trace visitor spending flows through supply chains and household incomes.
This data informs the EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and is available on the EU Tourism Dashboard. It provides policymakers with a sound basis for designing measures to support sustainable growth and efficiently allocate public resources.
