Geneva - Switzerland

Global tourism has entered a new phase that goes beyond restoring passenger numbers to a more complex question: Which countries have become more capable of transforming travel into sustainable growth?
The answer is provided by the “Travel and Tourism Development Index 2026” issued by the World Economic Forum in cooperation with the Zurich Insurance Group, which placed Japan in first place in the world, while the UAE topped the Arab countries by ranking 22nd in the world.

Japan snatches the summit...and Europe is besieging it

Japan advanced to the top of the index, followed by the United States in second place, Spain third, then Australia and France, while Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Switzerland and Italy completed the top ten list.
Despite Japan's rise, Europe maintained its strongest presence at the summit, with six European countries among the top ten, while high-income economies constituted 19 countries among the top 20 economies in the index.

The world is improving... 101 countries are moving forward
The broader picture seems more important than changing positions. Out of the 110 economies included in the classification, 101 economies improved their results between 2024 and 2026, i.e. 92% of the countries included, while the global average increased by about 2.1%, which is the fastest pace of improvement since 2019.
This comes after the world recorded a record number of 1.5 billion international tourists during 2025, at a time when the economic contribution of the travel and tourism sector reached 11.6 trillion dollars.

The UAE leads the Arabs... and the Gulf imposes its presence

In the Arab world, the UAE ranked first and 22nd globally, ahead of Saudi Arabia, which ranked second in the Arab world and ranked 29th globally.
Qatar came in third place in the Arab world and 47th globally, followed by Bahrain in 55th place in the world, then Oman 62nd, Egypt 63rd, Morocco 70th, Jordan 73rd, Tunisia 82nd, Kuwait 88th, and Algeria 89th.
The centers reveal a clear Gulf presence at the forefront of the Arab list, supported by investments in airports, airline networks, hotels, new destinations, and digital transformation.

Saudi Arabia is rising... and the story is bigger than 29th place
The report gives Saudi Arabia attention that goes beyond its general position, as the Kingdom recorded the second largest improvement globally since 2019 in the human resources and labor market pillars, in conjunction with the expansion of tourism investment, infrastructure, and new destinations.
The World Economic Forum indicated that the number of workers in Saudi tourism will reach approximately 1.03 million people during 2025, at a time when talent development has become one of the pillars required for the continued rapid growth of the sector.

Egypt has a different card...the price

Although Egypt ranked 63rd globally, reading the index according to its pillars reveals a different picture from the overall ranking, as it came in first place globally in the price competitiveness pillar.
Here one of the most important messages of the index appears: the country may lag behind in the overall ranking, but it possesses tourism strengths capable of giving it a competitive advantage against more advanced markets in terms of infrastructure or investment environment.

It is not a race for the number of tourists
A country's progress in the index does not necessarily mean that it receives a greater number of tourists. The classification does not directly measure the number of visitors or tourism revenues, but rather measures the state's ability to provide the environment that allows tourism to grow and continue.
The 2026 edition is based on 17 pillars and 102 indicators, including business environment, security and safety, health, labor market, digital readiness, tourism openness, price competitiveness, air and land transport, tourism infrastructure, natural and cultural resources, and sustainability.