According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the United States is the best country in the world for tourism. The independent international organization recently released a list of top locales for travel, which looked at a number of factors, including infrastructure, sustainability, labor availability, pricing, and natural resources. In addition to clinching the top spot on the list, the United States was the only country in North America to secure a place within the top 10.
As WEF notes in its report, global tourism is expected reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024. However, there are a number of challenges that continue to face the industry, such as AI, which may require adaptation and agility. Some countries and economies are more equipped to do this, and this new data “aims to serve as a benchmark for stakeholders to gauge progress, inform decisions and policies, and encourage sustainable and resilient growth.” As such, the report doesn’t necessarily speak to the experience of being a traveler in these nations, but rather the business of travel.
Among the top 10 countries on the list, Europe demonstrated an impressive showing. Spain ranked second, while France, Germany, the UK, Italy, and Switzerland nabbed spots four, six, seven, nine, and 10, respectively. Rounding out the list, Japan ranked third, Australia fifth, and China eighth. The data also showed that of 119 economies reviewed, 71 displayed improvement between 2019 and 2023. However, the average index scores were only 0.7% above pre-pandemic levels.
Of the countries that improved their scores since 2019, 52 were those with low to upper-middle-income economies. Countries such as Uzbekistan, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Indonesia, and Nigeria all showed growth; however, the report also notes that “despite above-average growth, non-high-income economies account for nearly 90% of below-average index scorers, indicating a need for further investment to close gaps in enabling conditions if these economies wish to increase their share of the travel and tourism market.”
Overall, the report showed that Europe and Asia-Pacific regions were in the most favorable position to grow travel and tourism markets, as were high-income economies. Of the top 30 ranked nations, 19 are in Europe, seven in Asia-Pacific, and 26 are high income.
While the report doesn’t speak directly to traveler experience, the United States’ title as the best country for tourism does correlate with the abundance of places to visit in the nation. From towering metropolises like New York City and Chicago to beautiful small towns, trips for a design and architecture lover are aplenty. Of course, the country also boasts striking natural scenery, such as the South West’s deserts and canyons; Midwest prairies; the Rocky, Appalachian, and Sierra Nevada mountains; and beaches on the east, west, and south coasts. Whether an international or local traveler, there is no shortage of destinations to discover.