Vietnam is among ten emerging economies expected to drive the future growth of global tourism. That is the view of the World Economic Forum in its 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index. The other nine are China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Turkey, Mexico, and Brazil. By direct tourism GDP, they are the ten largest travel and tourism economies outside the high-income group.
Together, these countries account for more than 28 percent of the world's direct travel and tourism GDP. The forum expects that share to rise to 35 percent by 2035. Between 2024 and 2026, the group improved faster than the other 100 economies in 15 of the index's 17 pillars. Its advantages include competitive prices, natural and cultural resources, and growing demand for sustainable tourism. Asia-Pacific was the fastest-rising region in this year's index. The report covers 110 economies and uses 102 indicators, including safety and transport infrastructure.