The Philippines ranked among the world’s fastest-improving travel and tourism economies after posting a 5.5% increase in its Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) score, the seventh-largest gain globally.
The improvement lifted the country eight places to 57th out of 110 economies in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2026 rankings.
The WEF identified the Philippines as one of the world’s top 10 fastest-improving tourism economies between 2024 and 2026. The Philippines tied Morocco for the biggest improvement, behind Albania, Vietnam, Laos, Qatar, Malaysia, and Thailand, and was one of seven Asia-Pacific economies in the global top 10.
“The latest index shows that the enabling conditions for travel and tourism are the strongest they have been since the pandemic,” the WEF said.
The Philippines recorded gains in air transport infrastructure, tourism services, and international openness, while continuing to benefit from its natural and cultural resources.
Globally, 101 of the 110 economies improved their TTDI scores from the previous edition. Average performance rose 2.1% from 2024, the fastest pace of improvement since 2019.
According to the WEF, developing tourism economies are narrowing the gap with more mature destinations as governments expand transport infrastructure, strengthen tourism policies, and improve investment conditions. Asia-Pacific accounted for seven of the world’s 10 fastest-improving economies in the latest index.
The WEF also identified the Philippines as one of the 10 largest emerging travel and tourism economies helping drive global tourism growth, alongside China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Türkiye, Mexico, and Brazil. The report said these emerging destinations have improved their tourism development scores at a faster pace than most other economies since 2019.
For the Philippines, the eight-place climb comes as the government continues to position tourism as a major driver of economic growth through airport expansion, improved connectivity, and the promotion of destinations beyond traditional tourism hubs.
Despite the gains, the WEF said the industry faces growing challenges from rising travel costs, labor shortages, geopolitical tensions, and climate-related risks that could weigh on future tourism growth.
It also noted that travel has become less affordable in nearly three-quarters of the economies assessed between 2024 and 2026, while tourism investment has struggled to keep pace with strong demand.
The report said the strongest improvements worldwide between 2024 and 2026 came in cultural resources, tourism infrastructure and services, and air transport infrastructure as destinations expanded attractions, accommodation capacity, and air connectivity. It added that greater digital readiness and more open travel policies have also made many destinations easier to access for international visitors.
It added that the sector’s next phase is “not just about attracting more visitors, but creating greater value through investment in people, infrastructure, and stronger public-private collaboration to ensure tourism delivers lasting benefits for communities, businesses, and destinations.”
Globally, Japan topped the 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index with the highest overall score, followed by the United States, Spain, Australia, and France. The rankings evaluate the policies, infrastructure, and enabling conditions that support sustainable, resilient, and competitive tourism industries rather than tourist arrivals alone.
The index measures economies across multiple pillars, including business environment, safety and security, health and hygiene, air and ground transport infrastructure, tourism services, natural resources, cultural resources, and sustainability.
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