Japan Tops 2026 Travel Index, US Second; Europe Dominates Top 10
The World Economic Forum's latest report highlights a strong recovery in global travel conditions, with Europe featuring heavily among the leading destinations.
Japan has been ranked as the top country for travel and tourism in 2026, according to the 10th edition of the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index. The United States secured the second position, followed by Spain in third place.
Europe features prominently in the top ten, with Spain being the highest-ranked European nation. France and Germany also made the top ten, coming in fifth and sixth place respectively. The United Kingdom placed seventh, rounding out the European representation within the top group. Switzerland and Italy concluded the top ten list.
Spain, despite dropping two spots since the 2024 report, remains a significant international destination, particularly for British travelers, with over 19 million annual visits. Australia ranked fourth, and China eighth.
The Travel & Tourism Development Index evaluates the factors and policies that foster the sustainable and resilient growth of travel and tourism. Rather than measuring direct performance metrics like arrivals or revenue, the index assesses the underlying conditions that enable destinations to attract and sustain tourism in ways that benefit economies and societies. Key factors considered include air transport infrastructure, price competitiveness, and safety.
The report indicates that global travel and tourism development conditions have reached their strongest point since 2019. "The latest Travel & Tourism Development Index shows that the enabling conditions for travel and tourism are at their strongest since the pandemic, with 92 per cent of economies improving since 2024," stated Ramya Krishnaswamy, head of experience economy and cities at the World Economic Forum.
Krishnaswamy added, "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."
This positive outlook comes after a challenging period for the travel industry, which has faced issues including conflict in the Middle East, rising jet fuel prices, and wildfires in various regions, notably impacting parts of Europe such as France and Spain over the summer.