Australia Climbs to Fourth in Global Travel and Tourism Development Rankings

Australia is ranked at number four in the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) of the World Economic Forum (WEF) for the year 2026, improving its performance by two ranks from number six, where it was ranked previously in 2024. In the current ranking, Australia is ranked among the world’s top tourist destinations, only behind Japan, the US, and Spain. The index, which was published on September 25, 2026, evaluates 110 countries based on 17 pillars in assessing the infrastructure, resource, policy, and environmental factors contributing to tourism development.

Australia Enters the Global Top Four Tourism Destinations

Australia’s fourth-place position represents an improvement of two places compared with the 2024 edition of the index. The country now sits ahead of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Switzerland and Italy in the overall rankings.

Japan secured first place, followed by the United States in second and Spain in third. Australia completed the top four, while France occupied fifth position.

The 2026 edition is the tenth publication of the WEF’s Travel & Tourism Development Index, which was first introduced in 2007 as the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index and relaunched under its current name in 2022.

Developed in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group, the assessment measures the conditions that allow tourism industries to develop sustainably and withstand economic, environmental and geopolitical disruptions.

The index does not rank destinations simply by international arrivals or visitor spending. Instead, it considers factors including business conditions, transport infrastructure, tourism services, cultural resources, natural attractions and environmental sustainability.

Across the 110 economies assessed, 101 improved their scores between 2024 and 2026. The average score increased by 2.1 per cent, representing the fastest improvement since 2019.

Natural Attractions Strengthen Australia’s Tourism Appeal

Australia’s natural landscape remains an important component of its international tourism offering. The country attracts visitors through its extensive coastlines, tropical rainforests, marine ecosystems, mountain landscapes and protected wilderness areas.

The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland is among the country’s most recognised international attractions. Stretching along the northeastern coastline, the marine ecosystem attracts visitors interested in snorkelling, scuba diving, marine wildlife and boat excursions.

Further south, the Blue Mountains in New South Wales offer walking trails, waterfalls, forest landscapes and viewpoints overlooking the region’s sandstone formations.

Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory combines wetlands, wildlife habitats, Aboriginal cultural heritage and ancient rock art. It provides opportunities for guided nature experiences, wildlife observation and cultural tourism.

Tasmania also attracts nature-focused travellers through its national parks, coastal wilderness, mountain trails and protected landscapes. Destinations such as Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park provide opportunities for hiking, wildlife observation and outdoor holidays.

These attractions support Australia’s position as a destination with extensive natural tourism resources, particularly for international visitors seeking experiences beyond major cities.

Australia Expands Investment in Nature-Based Tourism Infrastructure

Investment in visitor facilities and protected landscapes is another important aspect of Australia’s tourism development.

In New South Wales, the state government announced a $16.2 million investment in March 2026 to upgrade 12 tourism roads across flood-affected national parks. The programme is designed to improve the resilience of transport access against future heavy rainfall and natural disasters.

The upgrades cover destinations including Brisbane Water National Park, Bouddi National Park, Watagans National Park and Myall Lakes National Park.

The improvements are relevant to visitors travelling to regional wilderness destinations, where road access plays an important role in reaching campgrounds, walking trails and other recreational facilities.

Another development is the $56.4 million investment in the Dorrigo Escarpment Great Walk and the redevelopment of the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre in New South Wales. Construction began in May 2026, with the project intended to establish the region as a major nature-based tourism destination.

The development is expected to strengthen access to Dorrigo National Park while supporting regional employment and visitor activity along the state’s Mid North Coast.

These are independently announced government projects rather than funding allocations made under the WEF index.

Queensland Develops Its Ecotourism Infrastructure

Queensland is also advancing nature-based tourism through investment in protected areas, visitor facilities and regional attractions.

The state’s 2026–27 budget includes $32.2 million over four years to improve existing ecotourism facilities as part of a wider $139 million investment in protected-area infrastructure.

The funding programme includes improvements to visitor facilities and projects supporting Queensland’s Destination 2045 tourism strategy.

A separate $31.2 million allocation supports continued development of the Wangetti Trail in Tropical North Queensland. The proposed adventure tourism route is intended to strengthen opportunities for outdoor recreation and regional tourism.

Queensland has also allocated funding towards the protection of the Great Barrier Reef and environmentally sensitive tourism opportunities within national parks.

These developments are relevant to Australia’s broader tourism infrastructure priorities, particularly the need to balance visitor access with environmental protection.

Sustainability Remains Central to Global Tourism Development

Natural and cultural resources, along with transport connectivity and tourism infrastructure, have been recognised as critical aspects of competitiveness for the destination in the TTDI for 2026. As noted in the report from the WEF, the natural resource score increased by 4.1 per cent between 2024 and 2026. This is because almost all the economies evaluated experienced a rise in the scores of around 96 per cent. The cultural resources score showed even more improvement of 9.6 per cent. The results emphasise the increasing significance of destinations that offer opportunities to explore natural landscapes and cultural experiences while having infrastructure to handle the flow of visitors. For Australia, this would mean preservation of national parks, better transport links to regions, marine environment preservation and facilities to enable tourists visiting destinations that are not located within major metropolitan areas. With Australia’s fourth-place rating, the country’s tourism development environment is one of the best in the world.