Best Countries to Visit in 2026: What the Rankings Really Say

Updated · 7 min read
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There is no single official ranking of the best countries to visit. There are several serious ones, each measuring something different: how well a country is equipped for tourism, how it performs overall, what editors recommend, or where travellers are searching. Here are the four that matter in 2026, with their dates and methods, and what they say about Morocco.

The essentials

  • World Economic Forum, Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026 (published end of September 2026): Japan 1st, United States 2nd, Spain 3rd out of 110 economies.
  • U.S. News Best Countries 2026 (May 2026): Switzerland 1st overall; the United States leads the Culture & Tourism category.
  • Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2026 picks 25 destinations, including Peru, Botswana, Finland and Tunisia.
  • Morocco ranks 70th in the WEF index, up seven places, and 74th in U.S. News; it welcomed 19.8 million tourist arrivals in 2025.
  • Kayak’s 2026 trend data (US travellers) shows the biggest jumps in search interest for Christchurch, Prague and Sofia.

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In this article

Why there is no single 'best country' list

Most lists you see online mix countries, cities and regions, or copy each other. Before trusting a ranking, check three things: who publishes it, what it measures, and when the data was collected. The four lists below pass that test, but they answer different questions:

  • WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index: which countries are best equipped for tourism (infrastructure, safety, air links, natural and cultural resources, prices).
  • U.S. News Best Countries: how countries perform overall, with a Culture & Tourism category.
  • Lonely Planet Best in Travel: an editorial selection of places worth visiting this year.
  • Kayak travel trends: where travellers’ flight searches are rising fastest.

World Economic Forum 2026: the countries best equipped for travel

The Travel & Tourism Development Index, published by the World Economic Forum with Zurich Insurance at the end of September 2026, scores 110 economies on 17 pillars ranging from air connectivity and tourist infrastructure to safety, digital readiness, price competitiveness and environmental sustainability.

The 2026 top 10, as reported by Time Out on 1 October 2026:

  1. Japan
  2. United States
  3. Spain
  4. Australia
  5. France
  6. Germany
  7. United Kingdom
  8. China
  9. Switzerland
  10. Italy

The WEF notes that conditions improved in 92% of the economies covered since the 2024 edition. In Africa, Mauritius leads (59th), followed by South Africa (61st), Egypt (63rd), Morocco (70th) and Tanzania (74th), according to Ecofin Agency. Morocco posted the largest improvement on the continent, climbing seven places with a score of 3.84 out of 7, up 5.5% on its recalculated 2024 score.

What it tells you: these are the countries where travelling is easiest and best organised. It does not measure how memorable or affordable a trip will be.

U.S. News Best Countries 2026: the overall ranking

Released on 14 May 2026, the U.S. News & World Report ranking was rebuilt this year around a data-driven method: 100 countries, 100 indicators, eight categories. The overall top 10:

  1. Switzerland
  2. Denmark
  3. Sweden
  4. Germany
  5. Netherlands
  6. Norway
  7. United Kingdom
  8. Finland
  9. Luxembourg
  10. Austria

For travellers, the more relevant part is the Culture & Tourism category, led by the United States, then Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Morocco sits 74th overall, the second African country after the Seychelles (49th) and ahead of Tunisia (77th) and Egypt (80th).

What it tells you: this is a quality-of-life and governance ranking more than a holiday guide. A country can be a superb destination and rank modestly here.

Lonely Planet published its Best in Travel 2026 selection in October 2025: 25 destinations plus 25 experiences. Only a handful are whole countries: Peru, Botswana, Finland, Barbados, Tunisia, the Solomon Islands and the island of Réunion. The rest are cities and regions, such as Jaffna in Sri Lanka, Cádiz in Spain, Cartagena in Colombia, Sardinia, Jeju in South Korea, Siem Reap and Phuket.

What it tells you: where experienced travel writers think it is worth going now, often places that are less crowded than the usual hotspots. North Africa is represented by Tunisia this year.

Kayak 2026: where travellers are actually searching

In its 2026 travel trends release (22 December 2025), Kayak compared flight-search interest from US travellers between April and September 2025 with the previous year. The biggest increases:

  • Christchurch, New Zealand: +194%
  • Prague, Czech Republic: +180%
  • Sofia, Bulgaria: +136%
  • Krakow, Poland: +106%
  • Budapest, Hungary: +86%
  • Tirana, Albania: +66%
  • Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: +62%

Kayak also expected international airfares to fall by around 10%. What it tells you: momentum, with a strong tilt towards affordable Eastern Europe. Keep in mind it reflects American searches only, and cities rather than countries.

The global picture: record travel in 2025, slower growth in 2026

According to UN Tourism’s World Tourism Barometer, 1.52 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded in 2025, up 4% on 2024. Growth slowed sharply in the first half of 2026 (+0.4%), with the Middle East down 22% because of the regional conflict, while Africa grew 4% and Europe 3%. UN Tourism now expects 1 to 2% growth for the full year 2026.

In practice, that means fewer crowds than forecast in some places, but also high transport and accommodation costs, which UN Tourism lists among the headwinds. Booking early still pays.

How to choose: match the ranking to your trip

  • First big trip, want everything to run smoothly: start with the WEF top 10 (Japan, Spain, France, Australia…).
  • Looking for somewhere less obvious: Lonely Planet’s picks (Peru, Botswana, Finland, Tunisia).
  • Budget city breaks: Kayak’s rising Eastern European cities, where search interest grew fastest.
  • Long stay or remote work: the U.S. News overall top 10 says more about quality of life and services.

Then check the practical side for your own nationality: entry rules, your government’s travel advice, flight time and the season. A country that tops a list can be a poor choice in its rainy season.

Where Morocco fits in 2026

Morocco does not top any of these lists, but its trajectory is clear. The Ministry of Tourism reported 19.8 million tourist arrivals in 2025, up 14% on 2024, and tourism receipts of about €11.4 billion by the end of November 2025, up 19%. The WEF index singles it out as one of the ten fastest-improving economies in 2026, and the country hosted the Africa Cup of Nations from December 2025 to January 2026.

For travellers from Europe it combines short flights, UNESCO-listed medinas in Marrakech and Fes, the Atlas mountains, the Sahara and the Atlantic coast in a single trip. British and Canadian citizens can stay up to 90 days without a visa, according to their governments. On safety, the UK advises against no part of the country and the US rates it Level 2 of 4; our guide Is Morocco safe for tourists? sums up the official advice. For ideas on what to do once there, see 10 unforgettable things to do in Morocco.

Going to Morocco? Staying connected without roaming fees

Morocco is outside the EU, so EU “roam like at home” rules do not apply, and UK or US plans can be expensive there. Our guide on avoiding roaming charges in Morocco compares the options. A local SIM card is the cheapest (passport required); an eSIM suits a solo traveller with a compatible phone.

TP-Link 4G pocket Wi-Fi router

If you are travelling as a couple, family or group, a pocket Wi-Fi router can be simpler. Rent A Phone rents a TP-Link 4G router on the Maroc Telecom network, which reports 4G coverage of 99% of the population: unlimited data, up to 10 devices, up to 8 hours of battery, 4G only (not 5G). It costs €4.90 per day per router, two days minimum, paid online by card in euros. Delivery and collection are free in Marrakech only, at your hotel, riad, Airbnb or wherever you’re staying; you can take it anywhere Maroc Telecom 4G reaches. Rent A Phone is rated 5.0/5 from 52 Google reviews (October 2026). Book online in three steps.

Best countries in 2026: frequently asked questions

What is the best country in the world in 2026?

It depends on the ranking. Switzerland is No. 1 in the U.S. News Best Countries 2026 overall ranking, published in May 2026. For tourism specifically, Japan tops the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026.

Japan, according to the World Economic Forum’s 2026 index of 110 economies, ahead of the United States and Spain. In the U.S. News Culture & Tourism category, the United States comes first, followed by Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026 list includes Peru, Botswana, Finland, Barbados and Tunisia among 25 picks. Kayak’s search data for US travellers shows the fastest growth for Christchurch, Prague, Sofia and Krakow.

Morocco is 70th of 110 in the WEF tourism index, up seven places and among the ten fastest improvers. It is 74th overall in U.S. News Best Countries 2026, second in Africa after the Seychelles.

For most travellers, yes. It recorded 19.8 million tourist arrivals in 2025, flights from Europe are short, and UK and Canadian citizens need no visa for stays up to 90 days. Check your government’s advice: the US currently rates it Level 2, ‘Exercise Increased Caution’.

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