The development of the travel and tourism industry is at its best level since 2019. Of the 110 economic zones evaluated in the 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI), 92% improved their scores from 2024, with Japan ranking first.
While developed economies occupy nine of the top ten spots, the top 20 emerging economies have improved their scores at more than twice the rate of the top 20 overall since 2019.
This index will be announced at "Beyond Tourism Day" in Geneva, Switzerland. At this meeting, leaders from governments, businesses, and civil society will gather under the theme of "Resilient Growth: New Impacts."
The full report is available here. Details of the initiative are available here.
September 25, 2026, Geneva, Switzerland According to a new report from the World Economic Forum, while the travel and tourism industry is developing in many parts of the world, tourist destinations are facing challenges such as rising costs, disruptions caused by geopolitical changes and climate change, labor shortages, and strain on infrastructure and local communities. In this context, there is a need to translate record demand into sustainable value.
According to the World Economic Forum's Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026, created in cooperation with Zurich Insurance Group, 101 of the 110 countries and regions evaluated saw an improvement in their scores between 2024 and 2026. The report for the 10th annual survey will be released at Beyond Tourism Day in Geneva. This growth was driven by improvements in cultural resources, expansion of tourism infrastructure and services, development of air networks, and an increase in business travel. Japan leads the TTDI rankings, followed by the United States, Spain, Australia, and France.
Ramaya Krishnaswamy, head of the Experience Economy and Cities at the World Economic Forum, stated: "The latest Travel & Tourism Development Index shows that the environment supporting travel and tourism is in its best state since the COVID-19 pandemic. 92% of the economies assessed have seen improvement beyond 2024. The next step is not simply to attract more tourists, but to create greater value through investment in human resources and infrastructure, and strengthened public-private partnerships. This will enable tourism to bring sustainable benefits to local communities, businesses, and destinations."
The index also highlights new challenges facing the tourism industry. Between 2024 and 2026, travel costs are projected to rise in three of the four countries, while investment in the tourism sector is not keeping pace with the increased demand. This, combined with labor shortages, threatens the sustainability of growth. The benefits to local communities are also diminishing. In particular, in regions with strong seasonal tourism trends, the index highlights the reality that an increase in tourists does not necessarily translate into improved living standards or the creation of high-quality jobs.
While these challenges need to be addressed, emerging tourism economies are steadily growing. Since 2019, the TTDI scores of the fastest-growing emerging tourist countries have improved at more than twice the rate of the top 20 economies, and seven of the top 10 fastest-growing countries are located in the Asia-Pacific region. Albania recorded the greatest overall growth between 2024 and 2026.
Carla Morton, CEO of Global Business and Operations at Zurich Insurance Group, stated: "Tourism and travel represent a significant part of the global economy, and the TTDI has made it clear that resilience is what allows us to maintain value even as circumstances change. Achieving this resilience requires collaboration between businesses and governments."
'Beyond Tourism Day': Ecosystem Collaboration
This index will be announced at the World Economic Forum's "Beyond Tourism Day," which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, bringing together leaders from governments, businesses, and civil society under the theme of "Resilient Growth: New Impacts." The discussions will focus on strengthening competitiveness and resilience through workforce readiness, technology and innovation, investment, and the advancement of scalable solutions.
Additionally, the first recipients of the "Beyond Tourism Impact Stars" award will be announced. This award recognizes company-led solutions that address the structural challenges facing the travel and tourism industry.
"Beyond Tourism Day" will be held two days before "World Tourism Day" on September 27th. It will provide a platform to expand the discussions in Geneva into a global agenda. It will be a forum for broader discussions on how the travel and tourism industry can strengthen economic resilience, create quality jobs and opportunities, and deliver greater value to the communities and tourist destinations on which the sector depends.
About the "Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026"
The TTDI is an index that measures the factors and policies that enable the sustainable and resilient development of travel and tourism, based on nearly 20 years of benchmarking by the World Economic Forum. Rather than directly measuring tourism performance such as the number of tourists, spending, and revenue, it assesses the foundational conditions that enable tourist destinations to attract, support, and sustain tourism in a way that benefits the economy and society. The 2026 edition covers 110 economic zones and is composed of 17 key items and 102 indicators. Developed in collaboration with the Zurich Insurance Group, the index reflects the insights of the Beyond Tourism Insight Council.