China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Turkey, Mexico, and Brazil are the 10 largest non-high-income travel and tourism economies by direct travel and tourism GDP, according to the WEF’s 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index.
Together, they account for more than 28% of global direct travel and tourism GDP, a share the WEF expects to rise to 35% by 2035.
“These economies therefore represent one of the most important sources of future tourism growth.”
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Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam, is among the country’s major tourism attractions.Photo by Unsplash |
Vietnam’s inclusion comes as the Asia-Pacific emerges as the fastest-rising region in the 2026 index.
Seven of the 10 most-improved were developing economies in South and Southeast Asia, with Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand topping in that order.
Between 2024 and 2026, the 10 economies improved faster than the other 100 in 15 of the index’s 17 pillars.
The WEF said the group’s advantages include stronger price competitiveness, natural and cultural resources, and growing demand for sustainable tourism.
The WEF publishes the Travel & Tourism Development Index to assess the factors and policies that enable sustainable and resilient tourism development.
The 2026 edition covers the 110 economies across 17 pillars and 102 indicators, including business conditions, safety and security, ICT readiness, transport infrastructure, and tourism services among others.