Australia ranks as the world’s fourth-best country for travel and tourism

If you needed another reason to book an interstate getaway this summer, here it is: Australia was just ranked the fourth-best country in the world for travel and tourism. We jumped two places since the World Economic Forum's last global report, placing us right behind hotspots Japan, the United States and Spain.

Unlike standard travel reports that focus solely on visitor numbers or spending, the World Economic Forum’s biennial Travel & Tourism Development Index draws on nearly two decades of data to paint the complete picture. It measures how effectively a destination can attract, support and sustain travel in ways that genuinely benefit local communities and economies, looking at everything from price competitiveness and transport infrastructure to cultural resources and environmental sustainability.

In news that will surprise no one, Japan topped this year’s global rankings, with the country welcoming a record 42.7 million international travellers. It climbed two places since the 2024 index, overtaking both the United States and Spain for the top spot.

Australia also rose two places to fourth position in 2026, showing strong demand across the Asia-Pacific region. In doing so, we overtook European hotspots France and Germany. Even more impressive? We cracked the top ten without actually having one of the ten largest travel economies – a feat pulled off only by us and Switzerland.

Australia particularly excelled when it comes to sustainability, ranking second overall in the world behind Chile for combined environmental, socioeconomic and demand management. We also landed ninth overall for travel and tourism resources, powered by our pristine landscapes and cultural assets. However, we were dragged down by our policy and enabling conditions score, ranking 72nd due to high travel costs, visa hurdles and a relative lack of government prioritisation for travel and tourism. At least we know what we need to work on to make our country more welcoming for international travellers.

You can explore the full index here, or see the top ten countries below.

The 10 best countries for travel and tourism in 2026

1. Japan
2. United States
3. Spain
4. Australia
5. France
6. Germany
7. United Kingdom
8. China
9. Switzerland
10. Italy

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