A new report highlights the destinations where tourism is booming and blooming.
The 2026 edition of the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) has just been published, highlighting the places that are increasingly popular among world travelers.
Despite shaky economies, geopolitical unrest, and environmental concerns, the report shows that people are traveling in record numbers.
A staggering 1.5 million tourist arrivals were registered globally in 2025.
Further, roughly 307 million people traveled internationally in just the first quarter of 2026 alone.
“The latest Travel & Tourism Development Index shows that the enabling conditions for travel and tourism are at their strongest since the pandemic, with 92% of economies improving since 2024,” said Ramya Krishnaswamy, head of experience economy and cities at the World Economic Forum.
The recently released index measures sustainable tourism growth across core pillars like safety, price competitiveness, and air infrastructure. Specific metrics evaluated include hotel rates, visa policies, public transit efficiency, UNESCO heritage sites, and geographic tourism spread.
Designed for public and private sector decision-makers, the index delivers data designed to pinpoint policies that foster sustainable tourism growth, crisis resilience, and national development.
“The next chapter is not simply about attracting more visitors, but it is going to be about creating greater value by investing in people, infrastructure and stronger public-private collaboration so tourism delivers lasting benefits for communities, businesses and destinations,” said Krishnaswamy
While Japan took the top spot for travel, the USA took silver, followed by Spain, Australia, France, Germany, UK, China, Switzerland and Italy.
The report notes that Japan has both extended its visitor base and encouraged those visitors to explore beyond major tourism centers, a dual approach that reduces overcrowding in certain areas while welcoming a record number of travelers.
While the top ten-performing countries in the index have not changed since the last TTDI in 2024, there has been some notable shuffling.
Japan ascended three spots to dethrone the United States for first place. America’s slide into second came as tariffs and negative rhetoric continue to keep travelers away.
Meanwhile, Australia has gone from sixth to fourth place. While China remains at number eight, it outpaced the global average growth rate.
The top 10 countries for travel and tourism
- Japan
- USA
- Spain
- Australia
- France
- Germany
- UK
- China
- Switzerland
- Italy
WEF also provided a list of the countries showing the fastest rate of improvement, placing Albania at the top. The Balkan nation’s score has increased by 7% over the past two years.
WEF underscored that the country has made improvements in air transport infrastructure and tourist services and “benefitted from offering visitors a more affordable alternative to neighboring destinations while still providing a compelling tourism experience.”
The fastest improvers
- Albania
- Vietnam
- Laos
- Qatar
- Malaysia
- Thailand
- Philippines
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
