Japan, US, Spain: The best countries for travel and tourism in 2026 have been revealed

When your social feeds are a relentless barrage of destination mood boards, custom itineraries and endless posts from that one friend who always seems to be on holiday, figuring out where to book your next trip can feel overwhelming.

But if you want to know exactly which countries have their act together right now, the data has spoken. The World Economic Forum has just released its Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) for 2026 and Japan has come out on top, climbing two places since 2024 to claim the number one spot for the first time. 

The TTDI is produced in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group and measures how well 110 economies are positioned to support travel and tourism. That means looking at everything from cultural and natural resources to air transport infrastructure, safety, price competitiveness and how prepared a country’s tourism workforce is.

The 2026 edition, launched at the World Economic Forum’s inaugural Beyond Tourism Day in Geneva, found that conditions have improved across 92 percent of the economies surveyed since 2024 – the fastest pace of progress since before the pandemic. 

Japan took the crown this year for broadening its visitor base and pushing travel beyond Tokyo and Kyoto’s already stretched hotspots into the lesser-visited regions. This has helped the country absorb record visitor numbers without the demand becoming too concentrated in just a handful of cities. It’s not the only recent accolade for Japan: Tokyo landed 10th in Time Out’s Best Cities 2026 ranking and also topped Time Out's Best Cities for Gen Z list.

The United States takes second, powered by its sheer scale and variety, from big cities to national parks. Spain is third, doing what it always does best – history, beaches, food, and the infrastructure to handle it all. The Mediterranean country has already been confirmed as Europe’s most popular destination this year, on track for around 100 million visitors, more than double its own population.

Australia comes in fourth, riding the same Asia-Pacific wave as Japan, its natural landscapes drawing a lot of attention. France rounds out the top five, still coasting on cultural heritage and landmarks that need no introduction. 

Europe put in a particularly strong overall showing, claiming six of the top 10 spots between Spain, France, Germany, the UK, Switzerland and Italy, cementing the region’s position as the TTDI's highest-performing area globally. Beyond the top 10, Albania had the single biggest improvement of any country in the entire index, climbing 7 percent since 2024, off the back of upgrades to its tourist services and air transport infrastructure, while India jumped nine places to 31st overall.

The world’s top 10 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

You can read the full report on the World Economic Forum’s website.

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