The top countries for travel and tourism for 2026 have been revealed – and more than half of the top ten destinations are in Europe.
The tenth edition of the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026 has been released.
This year, Japan leads the index, followed by the US. In third place is Spain, which has dropped two spots since 2024, yet has still performed exceptionally.
The country is still the top international destination for British travellers, with more than 19million visits recorded annually.
In fourth place is Australia, while closer to home France rounds out the top five, dropping one place since the 2024 report.
The news follows a tough summer across the Channel: wildfires have ripped through vast swathes of land, destroying properties and forcing people to flee.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of nearly 4,000 people from campsites, tourist residences, holiday villages and leisure parks around Lacanau on France’s Atlantic coast, for instance.
In sixth place is Germany, followed by the UK in number seven and China in eighth place. Rounding out the top ten are Switzerland and Italy.
The index measures the factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of travel and tourism.
The top 10 countries for travel in 2026
1. Japan
2. US
3. Spain
4. Australia
5. France
6. Germany
7. UK
8. China
9. Switzerland
10. Italy
It does not measure tourism performance directly – such as arrivals, spending, or revenue – but the underlying conditions that enable destinations to attract, support and sustain tourism in ways that benefit economies and societies.
This includes factors such as air transport structure, price competitiveness and safety.
The study also shows travel and tourism development conditions are at their strongest 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,’ said Ramya Krishnaswamy, head of experience economy and cities at the World Economic Forum.
‘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.’
Credit: BBC
