The United States achieved a significant victory on the international stage, being named the best country for travel and tourism in 2024 by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

As CNN describes, the rankings are based on a number of criteria, including infrastructure, natural resources, sustainability, labour availability and price competitiveness.

However, it’s worth noting that WEF’s data focuses on tourism-related aspects such as hotels, airports, attractions, airlines – and not on travelers’ on-site experiences.

Europe is strongly represented in the top 10, with six countries on the list, including Spain in second place. In the WEF report, this continent was defined as “a dynamic destination with strong intra-regional flows”

The continent earned high marks for rail connections, strong economies, stability of the euro and pound and increased mobility of Europeans, which translates into spending money.

The strength of European passports was also a significant factor in the ranking. In 2024, six countries – France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain – shared the top spot for the world’s most powerful passports according to the Henley Index, and this data was included in the WEF report.

According to the report, “In 2024, global tourism growth is expected to be boosted by meeting pent-up demand and growth in major Asian markets as travel restrictions are lifted.”

Japan, ranked number three, is experiencing a tourism boom as borders reopen after the pandemic. China, which ranked eighth, has taken steps to make it easier for tourists to visit by waiving visa requirements for residents of several European countries.

However, not all countries in the top 10 have reasons to be happy. Spain and Italy, despite their high positions in the ranking, are struggling with the problem of excessive tourism, which leads to conflicts with local communities.

Here is the full list of the 10 best countries for travel and tourism according to the World Economic Forum

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