Japan Leads Global Tourism Index as India Climbs to 31st in WEF 2026 Ranking

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Japan has emerged as the world leader in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, while India has climbed to 31st position, highlighting the growing strength of Asia in the global tourism economy. Japan moved two places to secure the top position as its strong transport networks, tourism resources and wider enabling environment supported its performance. India’s rise reflects the growing importance of its cultural and natural assets alongside improvements taking place across emerging tourism economies. However, the WEF report also identifies a major challenge for travellers and destinations: rising costs are reducing price competitiveness even as tourism infrastructure and connectivity improve worldwide.

Japan Takes the Global Tourism Crown in 2026

Japan has moved to the top of the 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, replacing the United States at number one.

The result represents an important milestone for Japan as international tourism continues moving beyond the post-pandemic recovery phase.

Japan combines several factors needed to support a large tourism economy. These include extensive transport infrastructure, international and domestic connectivity, cultural resources and a mature visitor economy.

The United States now occupies second place, followed by Spain in third. Australia moves into fourth position, while France completes the global top five.

The leading ten economies are:

The same ten economies were also inside the leading group in 2024, although their positions have changed.

High-income economies continue to dominate the upper end of the index. According to the WEF, 19 of the world’s top 20 performers are high-income economies.

India Reaches 31st as Emerging Tourism Economies Strengthen

India’s position at 31st places the country within a wider group of emerging tourism economies that are gaining ground.

The WEF specifically identifies India alongside China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Türkiye, Mexico and Brazil as ten major non-high-income tourism economies based on direct travel and tourism GDP.

Together, these economies account for more than 28% of global direct travel and tourism GDP. Their combined share is projected to reach 35% by 2035.

Their improvement has also been faster than that of many mature tourism markets.

Since 2019, these ten emerging economies have increased their average TTDI score by 4.7%. The overall index improved by 2.9% over the comparable period, while the top 20 economies recorded average growth of 1.9%.

Between 2024 and 2026, the emerging group improved faster than the remaining 100 economies across 15 of the TTDI’s 17 pillars.

India’s Cultural and Natural Wealth Provides an Important Advantage

India has one of the strongest combinations of cultural and natural tourism resources among major emerging economies.

The WEF notes that Brazil, China, India and Mexico together account for more than 17% of UNESCO World Heritage natural sites among economies covered by the index.

India, China and Mexico are also among the ten leading economies for the number of World Heritage cultural sites.

This matters because cultural resources have become an increasingly important part of global tourism development.

Across the entire index, Cultural Resources recorded the largest improvement among the TTDI pillars between 2024 and 2026. Its average score increased by 9.6%, with more than 95% of ranked economies improving.

For India, this global trend strengthens the importance of heritage, culture and diverse tourism experiences within its wider visitor economy.

Asia-Pacific Becomes the Fastest-Improving Region

The 2026 results reveal a broader shift towards Asia-Pacific.

The region recorded a 3.6% increase in its average TTDI score between 2024 and 2026, making it the fastest-improving region covered by the report.

Improvements were particularly visible in:

• Cultural resources
• Air transport infrastructure
• Non-leisure tourism resources
• Tourism capacity
• Regional and international connectivity

Seven of the ten most-improved economies came from developing countries in South-East and South Asia.

Lao PDR improved its score by 6.1%, Malaysia by 5.8% and Thailand by 5.6%. Albania, however, was the strongest individual improver globally, recording a 7% increase.

The figures indicate that Asia’s tourism recovery is increasingly being supported by stronger infrastructure, connectivity and tourism resources rather than visitor demand alone.

Global Tourism Conditions Reach Their Strongest Post-Pandemic Level

The broader picture is also positive.

The WEF assessed 110 economies in the 2026 edition, and 101 of them — around 92% — improved their TTDI score between 2024 and 2026.

Average index performance increased by around 2.1%, representing the strongest improvement since the pandemic.

Fourteen of the TTDI’s 17 pillars improved.

International tourism has also moved beyond its pandemic-era recovery. Global international tourist arrivals reached about 1.5 billion in 2025, around 5% higher than in 2024 and 4.4% above 2019.

Travel and tourism’s total economic contribution reached approximately $11.6 trillion in 2025, equivalent to nearly 10% of global GDP.

The sector supported around 366 million jobs worldwide.

Rising Travel Costs Become the Major Warning

The positive ranking comes with an important warning for the global tourism industry.

Travel is becoming more expensive.

The WEF found that Price Competitiveness deteriorated in around three-quarters of the economies covered between 2024 and 2026 as travel-related costs rose faster than broader inflation.

Accommodation, transport and operating expenses are putting pressure on affordability.

This creates a difficult balance. Countries may improve airports, digital infrastructure, hotels and tourism attractions, but higher prices can simultaneously make those destinations less accessible to travellers.

The problem is particularly relevant for established tourism markets, where strong demand can push up accommodation and service costs.

Infrastructure Remains a Gap for Emerging Tourism Markets

India and other major emerging tourism economies possess significant advantages in natural resources, cultural heritage and competitive pricing.

However, the WEF identifies Tourist Services and Infrastructure as the largest gap between the major emerging tourism economies and the world’s top 20 TTDI performers.

Other challenges affecting the emerging group include:

• Business environment limitations
• Workforce and skills gaps
• Access to finance
• Regulatory barriers
• Environmental sustainability pressures
• Need for stronger visitor services and supporting infrastructure

This means attracting travellers is only part of the challenge.

Countries also need sufficient accommodation, transport, visitor services, skilled workers and destination-management systems to handle growing demand sustainably.

What the WEF Tourism Index Actually Measures

The Travel & Tourism Development Index should not be interpreted as a ranking of the world’s most visited countries.

It does not directly rank countries according to tourist arrivals, tourism receipts or visitor spending.

Instead, the TTDI evaluates the factors and policies that allow tourism to develop sustainably and resiliently.

The 2026 framework covers 17 pillars and 102 individual indicators, examining areas including business conditions, safety, health, digital readiness, transport infrastructure, tourism services, cultural and natural resources, price competitiveness and sustainability.

This distinction explains why a country receiving more international tourists does not automatically rank higher than another country in the TTDI.

Conclusion: Japan Leads Global Tourism Index as India Climbs to 31st in WEF 2026 Ranking

Japan leads the global tourism index as India climbs to 31st in the WEF 2026 ranking, reflecting two important developments reshaping international travel. Japan has reached the top through a strong combination of tourism resources, infrastructure, connectivity and wider conditions supporting sustainable visitor growth, while India is benefiting from the increasing strength of major emerging tourism economies and its extensive cultural and natural resources.

The wider findings are equally significant. Asia-Pacific is now the fastest-improving region, 92% of the 110 economies assessed have strengthened their TTDI scores since 2024, and tourism development conditions are at their strongest level since the pandemic.

Yet the next challenge is already visible. Rising travel and accommodation costs are weakening affordability, while emerging destinations still need deeper tourism infrastructure and services. The 2026 results therefore show an industry moving beyond recovery towards a new phase in which infrastructure, affordability, sustainability and effective destination management will determine how successfully countries convert tourism demand into lasting economic value.