Malaysia Follows Vietnam And More As New Tourism Index Reveals Asia Pacific’s Fastest Growing Markets

The World Economic Forum (WEF) reports on travel and tourism for 2026 ranks Malaysia’s travel and tourism as one of the best. Improving tourism in Asia rates Malaysia as one of the top tourism performers, from the years 2024 to 2026, the performance of tourism development in Malaysia improved by 5.8 percentage points. Thus, from a global perspective, the report positions Malaysia as one of the markets in which the improvement of tourism development is the fastest.

The latest index highlights how Asia Pacific destinations are strengthening their tourism foundations through better infrastructure, improved air connectivity, stronger tourism services and growing cultural attractions. Alongside Malaysia, Vietnam and other emerging markets are showing rapid improvement as global tourism enters a new phase of growth and transformation.

The 2026 index found that tourism development conditions worldwide reached their strongest level since 2019. Out of 110 economies assessed, 101 recorded improvements, while the average global score increased by 2.1% compared with 2024. This represents the fastest improvement pace since 2019 and reflects stronger recovery and development across the global travel industry.

Vietnam Leads Asia Pacific Tourism Development Growth

Vietnam recorded one of the strongest improvements in the latest tourism index, with its TTDI score rising by 6.3% between 2024 and 2026.

The country has strengthened its tourism position through improvements in tourism infrastructure, international connectivity, cultural resources and travel services. Vietnam’s diverse tourism offerings, including heritage destinations, coastal experiences, nature tourism and urban attractions, continue to support its growing role in the international travel market.

The country’s progress reflects the wider growth trend across Asia Pacific, where emerging destinations are improving their ability to welcome international visitors and compete with established tourism markets.

Malaysia Strengthens Its Position As A Rising Tourism Power

Malaysia followed Vietnam as one of the fastest-improving tourism economies, recording a 5.8% increase in its TTDI score.

The country’s tourism development growth has been supported by its strong cultural resources, modern tourism facilities, improved connectivity and wide range of travel experiences.

Malaysia continues to attract travellers through its combination of city tourism, island escapes, nature experiences, food culture, heritage destinations and business travel opportunities. The latest index shows that Malaysia is becoming an increasingly important market in Asia Pacific’s expanding tourism landscape.

The country’s progress also reflects the growing importance of Southeast Asia as a major driver of global tourism development.

Laos Shows Strong Tourism Development Progress

Laos ranked among the world’s fastest-improving tourism economies, with its TTDI score increasing by 6.1% between 2024 and 2026.

The country’s tourism growth has been supported by its natural landscapes, cultural heritage and focus on developing unique visitor experiences.

Laos continues to build its tourism appeal through sustainable travel opportunities, cultural attractions and nature-based experiences. The improvement highlights how smaller emerging destinations are gaining global attention by creating distinctive tourism products and strengthening their tourism foundations.

Qatar Expands Tourism Development Through Investment

Qatar recorded a 6% improvement in its TTDI score, placing the country among the fastest-growing tourism economies globally.

The country has expanded its tourism capabilities through investment in infrastructure, hospitality facilities, international connectivity, events and business travel opportunities.

Qatar’s tourism development reflects the growing importance of modern infrastructure and international experiences in attracting global visitors.

Thailand Strengthens Its Tourism Growth Momentum

Thailand also ranked among the economies showing strong improvement in tourism development between 2024 and 2026.

The country remains one of Asia’s most recognised tourism destinations, supported by its strong hospitality sector, cultural attractions, international connectivity and diverse experiences.

From beaches and islands to wellness, food and cultural tourism, Thailand continues to strengthen its position as a major destination in the Asia Pacific tourism market.

The Philippines Continues Tourism Development Progress

The Philippines also recorded significant improvement in the latest TTDI ranking.

The country’s tourism growth is supported by its natural attractions, island destinations, adventure experiences and efforts to improve tourism infrastructure and connectivity.

With thousands of islands and diverse cultural experiences, the Philippines continues to expand its global tourism appeal.

Japan Remains Global Tourism Development Leader

Despite strong gains from emerging tourism economies, Japan secured the top position in the 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, achieving the highest overall score of 5.27 and leading the global ranking for tourism development conditions.

Japan was followed by the United States, Spain, Australia and France.

Advanced economies dominated the top positions, with China being the only emerging economy among the top 10.

The ranking shows that established tourism markets continue to benefit from strong infrastructure, tourism services, cultural resources and business environments.

Global Tourism Growth Faces New Challenges

Despite strong improvement across many economies, the tourism industry continues to face challenges.

The index highlights that travel affordability declined in three out of four economies between 2024 and 2026. At the same time, tourism investment has not increased at the same pace as growing demand.

Other challenges affecting destinations include labour shortages, rising costs, geopolitical tensions, climate disruption and pressure on infrastructure and local communities.

The future of tourism development will depend on creating long-term value through investment in people, infrastructure and cooperation between governments and businesses.

Asia Pacific Becomes A Major Force In Future Tourism Growth

The latest TTDI results show that Asia Pacific is becoming one of the strongest engines of global tourism development.

Since 2019, major emerging economies have improved their tourism development scores more than twice as fast as the top 20 economies. Seven of the 10 fastest-improving tourism markets are located in the Asia Pacific region.

The 2026 index measures the conditions that support tourism growth, including infrastructure, connectivity, services, cultural resources and business travel opportunities.

As shown in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, the Travel and Tourism sector in Malaysia is developing and will contribute positively to the economy in the long term.

Vietnam and Malaysia, along with other nations in the region, have moved up the Index in recognition of emerging transport, communications, and tourism-related facilities in these countries.

The findings highlight a major shift in the global tourism landscape, with Malaysia, Vietnam and other Asia Pacific destinations emerging as key markets shaping the future of international travel.