# World Economic Forum 2026 tourism index release > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/world-economic-forum-2026-tourism-index-release > Updated: 2026-10-14T21:10:14.000Z. Sources: 46. Developments: 9. The World Economic Forum (WEF) released its 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI), evaluating 110 economies across 17 pillars to measure conditions for sustainable growth. Global rankings show Japan leading the index, followed by the United States and Spain. Japan secured the top position, rising two spots to claim first place. This achievement follows a record year in 2025, where the nation recorded 42.7 million international visitors while working to expand tourism beyond major urban centers to reduce congestion. The United States follows in second place. Spain ranks third and is the highest-rated European nation. Spain secured its third-place position with a score of 5.22 out of 7, demonstrating particular strength in air transport, tourism services, and infrastructure, where it ranks third worldwide, and in cultural resources, where it ranks sixth. The composition of the top ten remains unchanged from 2024, including Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Switzerland, and Italy. China is noted as the only country in the top ten that is not a developed economy. Recent data indicates that global tourism conditions are at their strongest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic, with international tourist arrivals reaching a record 1.5 billion in 2025. Approximately 92% of analyzed economies showed score improvements since 2024. In the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines climbed eight spots to rank 57th, while Indonesia ranks 23rd. Argentina also showed progress, rising two positions to rank 48th, driven by a 12% growth in its business environment pillar. In the 2026 index, Mexico fell six places to rank 41st out of 110 economies. Although Mexico’s overall score saw a slight improvement of 0.9% compared to the previous two years, its ranking declined seven positions compared to 2019 levels. ## Claims - The Euronews Travel & Tourism Summit will be held on Tuesday, 29 September, at the Albert Hall in Brussels. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Europe recorded its busiest summer for air traffic in 2026, with an average of 35,959 daily flights during July and August. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is a headline speaker at the summit. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Albania's international arrivals reached 11.9 million in 2025, a 93.6% increase compared to 2019 levels. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-14: Mexico falls six places in World Economic Forum tourism ranking Mexico fell six places to 41st in the World Economic Forum's 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index, though it remains a top ten emerging tourism economy. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexico-falls-six-places-in-world-economic-forum-tourism-ranking ### 2026-10-07: Spain ranks third globally in Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026 The 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index ranks Spain 3rd globally and Argentina 48th, highlighting significant improvements in tourism infrastructure and business environments. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/spain-ranks-third-globally-in-travel-tourism-development-index-2026 ### 2026-10-07: Japan tops World Economic Forum 2026 tourism index Japan has topped the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, followed by the United States and Spain, as global tourism arrivals reach record levels. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japan-tops-world-economic-forum-2026-tourism-index ### 2026-10-05: Turkey rises 11 places in WEF Travel and Tourism Development Index Turkey has climbed 11 spots to 36th in the WEF 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index, with its sustainable tourism model recognized as a global example. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/orkun-itmak-and-merve-yorganclar-announce-first-pregnancy ### 2026-10-02: Japan tops World Economic Forum’s 2026 travel and tourism index Japan has overtaken the United States to rank first in the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index, with Spain following in third place. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japan-tops-world-economic-forums-2026-travel-and-tourism-index ### 2026-09-29: World Economic Forum tourism report shows shifts for Philippines and Indonesia The World Economic Forum's latest TTDI report shows the Philippines rising to 57th place, while Indonesia moves to 23rd, despite a 2.2% increase in its overall tourism score. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/world-economic-forum-tourism-report-shows-shifts-for-philippines-and-indonesia ### 2026-09-29: Japan ranked top in 2026 World Economic Forum tourism index Japan has been named the world's top country for travel and tourism in the 2026 World Economic Forum index, followed by the United States and Spain. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japan-tops-global-tourism-index-as-polish-travel-trends-shift ### 2026-09-26: Japan leads 2026 World Economic Forum tourism index The 2026 WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index shows global tourism at its strongest since the pandemic, with Japan leading the rankings and 92% of economies showing improvement. 17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/world-economic-forum-releases-2026-travel-tourism-development-index ### 2026-09-25: Philippines climbs to 57th in World Economic Forum tourism index The Philippines climbed to 57th in the WEF 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index, but experts say infrastructure and service quality must improve to sustain long-term growth. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/philippines-climbs-to-57th-in-world-economic-forum-tourism-index --- Cite as: World Economic Forum 2026 tourism index release. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/world-economic-forum-2026-tourism-index-release